“No, he never wanted you to leave. I can guarantee you that.”
“You have no idea, Ronin. He’s been pushing me away for the last week.”
Ronin smiled. “Think about it, honey. I moved here, and he started to act funny.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“The first day I asked to see you, he said you were busy. I asked every day, and he said the same thing. That’s why I dropped by tonight. I needed to look at you and make sure you were okay. Duncan did everything he could to keep you away from me.”
Her eyes widened. “But why?”
“I think he thought I’d take you away from him.”
She snorted. “That’s silly.”
“Not when some deep emotions are involved, honey. That man loves you.”
“No, he’s never said that. He never talks about his feelings at all.”
“Because he’s a guy. We’re all a little dense.”
She was shocked when a laugh burst from her mouth.
“Let me call him to tell him I’ve got you. I swear to you he lost it when he went to get you and found you gone.”
She sighed. “Can you tell him I’m fine, and I’ll talk to him later?”
“Let’s see what he says first.”
She waited while he dialed his phone and then put it on speaker so she could hear.
“Hey, man. I’ve got her.”
“Where the hell is she?” Duncan said frantically.
“She was walking on the road headed west.”
“Oh, God, does she have any idea what could have happened to her?”
Ronin watched her. “I’m not sure.”
“Just bring her home to me.”
“She said to tell you she was fine, and she’d talk to you later.”
A bunch of curses came through the phone. “Goddammit, tell her that her daddy needs her.”
He studied her. “She doesn’t believe you.”
“Will she talk to me?”
She shook her head.
Ronin sighed. “No.”
She heard Duncan’s harsh breathing and felt terrible. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him, but she knew he didn’t want to be with her.
“Fuck,” Duncan said. “I can’t let her go. She’s everything to me.”