Page 10 of Disarming Caine

IcalledAntoniobackfive times. No answer.

Smothering my face in a pillow, I let out a scream.

How dare he tell me I can’t see Nathan? How was I going to last another four months without him? He was so upset. Was he alright?

Fuck him.

God, I missed him.

The emotions surged through me so fast, I couldn’t hold on to a single one long enough to suppress it. All I wanted in the world was his arms around me, so I could get the whole shooting out of my system. But that wouldn’t happen until April now.

I stormed back to the dining room, to our poker game, and dropped into my chair.Cass and her husband, Kevin, frowned at me. I’d left in a flurry, thinking I’d get a little comfort after my shitty day, and returned covered in frost.

“Sorry about that.” Nathan toasted me with his Scotch and downed a shot. He didn’t seem sorry at all. The conversation with Antonio had been difficult, but once Nathan had come and gone, it all changed. Jealous-Antonio came out. Jealous and drunk.

Good thing I couldn’t reach him. We’d sort it all out once he sobered up. Maybe in the morning.

“Does the Italian always yell at you like that?”Cass frowned at me. My sister liked Antonio about as well as Nathan did. When I didn’t respond, she shifted tack, softening her voice. “Did you tell him about the shooting?”

“No,” I ground out. “I was too busy being interrupted by someone kissing my head.” I shoved Nathan hard enough his chair tipped. “What the hell were you thinking?”

Righting himself, Nathan shrugged. “Habit?”

“Foul ball, man,” said Kevin, downing his own shot.

Four more months. It was supposed to be three weeks. How could I handle four more months without him? I grabbed the cards and shuffled, dropping a few when I couldn’t stop the shaking in my heads. I clenched my jaw against the anger, the sadness, the… the what?

I missed him so much.

An unsafe-for-my-heart amount.

Part of me relied on that smiling face on the other end of our calls, and it failed me the day I needed it the most.

“Sorry, Sam. I wasn’t thinking.” Nathan put a hand on mine to stop my shuffling. He leaned his head down to get in my line of sight. “Let me do that for you.”

Fighting the lump growing in my throat, I sniffled. I dragged my palms across my face to wipe off the few tears that escaped. “He’ll be in Naples until April now.”

Putting an arm around me, Nathan pulled me close. “It’ll be alright, Sam. April’s not that far away and we’re all still here for you.”

“That’sit.”Ithrewmy cards down, sending Nathan’s pile of poker chips skittering across the table. “I’m done.”

Kevin had passed out on the couch a half hour ago, and somehow Nathan cleaned house.

Cass and I stood and started tidying up, until she winced when picking up a glass. I shooed her hand away and took care of the mess myself. She’d started her post-mastectomy radiation treatments a week and a half ago and was dealing with pain and blistering, on top of healing from her surgery. She glowered at me but didn’t reach for more.

Before I finished, she nudged me and pointed at Nathan, whose head lolled to the side. “You should probably get him home before he passes out, too.”

“Good idea.” I gave her a quick hug, happy to feel her weight coming back on.

“Or we can leave him on the other couch and you can crash here, if you… you know.”

If I didn’t feel safe. If I couldn’t go back to my hotel room and not worry about the shooting. “Thanks, but I’m good. My place is plenty safe.”

“If you insist.” She forced a smile, telling me she was more worried about what happened than she was letting on.

“In case I didn’t mention it yet, I love the new hairstyle.”

“Thanks.” She ruffled the pixie cut with her fingers. She’d always had stick-straight medium brown hair like our mother. Post-chemo, it was wavy like mine, the same light brown with red and gold highlights. “Kevin says it’s sexy. Maybe I’ll leave it short.”