Page 125 of See You There

“The ends justify the means?” Dahlia spat. “It wasn’t your choice to make. It was mine! You’re no better than Victor. You completely ignored what I wanted! You made a choice aboutmylife becauseyouwanted to, and then essentially lied to me!”

“How can you say that? I was trying to fix it for you.”

“Fix it? I told you not to get involved.”

“Because you’re stubborn.” The muscle in Luke’s jaw ticked, but there was something else there, too. Something that hurt too much to look at.

“Just because you don’t agree with what I choose doesn’t mean you get to override me.”

His face softened. “Dahlia, I care—”

Dahlia made a slashing motion with her hand. “Don’t! Don’t you dare say that now! Victor claims the things he does are because he cares about me. Scott claimed to care about me…”

“I’m not like them!” Luke’s own temper ignited, and though only a few feet separated them, it felt like a vast void.

Her anger receded, replaced by a cold, hollow ache in her chest. It had been a mistake to indulge in the fantasy. That she might actually get a happily ever after. Dahlia had thought Luke was different. He was kind and funny and didn’t judge her… She wavered. Luke was trying to help, the voice in her head whispered.

Dahlia squared her shoulders and locked the remaining pieces of her heart back behind the walls. Item #3 had seemed like such a good idea… But she’d let him in and… Dahlia pushed down the pain. She’d survived worse.

“You knew how important it was to me. To take back control of my life.” Her voice was stony, and Luke flinched.

Luke’s phone rang in his hand, but he ignored it. “I wanted to help you.”

Dahlia stared at him, silently willing him to say the words.I’m sorry for interfering. Sorry for not listening to you. I should never have done it.

But Luke’s frustrated expression told her he didn’t think he’d done anything wrong. Dahlia sighed when Luke’s phone rang again. “You should get that.”

Luke caught her hands. “I don’t care who is on the damn phone! This is more important.Youare more important. I want you to understand I did this for you. I want us to—”

Dahlia’s phone rang as well. She jerked her hands free and stepped away from him. “There is nous.”

Luke’s eyes flickered, and he shook his head to deny her words. “You don’t mean that. You’re just angry.”

Twenty-four hours before, Dahlia had dreamed of a future together. She’d even taken major steps to make it happen. That dream was over now. Dahlia wasn’t getting away from Victor, only to let another controlling man into her life.

Both phones rang again simultaneously. Dahlia met Luke’s eyes, keeping her pain far away. “You’re right, I am angry. I thought if nothing else, we’d become friends along the way, but you betrayed my trust, and I can’t forgive that.”

Dahlia picked up her phone and then glanced at the illuminated screen in Luke’s hand. “It’s your brother.”

“Hey, Elizabeth,” Dahlia said into the phone, shutting the door on Luke and retreating to the bedroom.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

“Why aren’tyou answering your phone?”

“What?” Luke ran a hand back through his hair. Every molecule in his body was telling him to charge into the cabin after Dahlia. He didn’t have time for James right now.

He expected her to be a little upset that he’d asked Brady to find Scott, but she was completely overreacting. Luke hoped it was just the shock of finding out her estranged husband was dead, but when she put on her Lia face, he realized she was serious.

He felt sick. Luke would get through to her. He could make her understand he was only looking out for her. He had to.

“Did you hear what I said?” James practically yelled into the phone.

Luke brought himself back to the conversation. “Sorry, bad reception.”

“I said APD picked up Hank this morning.”

Luke’s focus snapped back. “That’s fantastic news.”