Chapter 36

“I know, but it’s always been painful. Her words and the accusation. I couldn’t face it, and I haven’t had anyone in my corner. The one person who cared about me was dead. I don’t know why she started blaming me, but it was almost instant. I thought she liked me. I thought his family loved me. I couldn’t have been more wrong.”

“Sherry didn’t even want me at the funeral.”

“I’d love to talk to her. To ask her those questions, but she took those answers to the grave. It fucking sucks, but we have a new problem. There’s someone else clearly upset over his death.”

"I’ve never heard from his dad or his brother. That’s his family, and I can’t see them doing this. This doesn't make any sense, Clay."

“Well, I’m going to start there. I can at least try calling to see if they’ll talk to me. This can’t continue. If you think of anyone else, please let me know.”

“Trust me, if I had an inkling of who this was, I’d tell you.”

“Okay. That’s all I ask. Derrick is doing some more digging and will let me know if he finds out anything.”

“This is kind of starting to freak me out a little bit. It was one thing knowing it was Sherry, but knowing it’s not, is giving me anxiety I don’t know how to deal with.”

“We aren’t letting you do this alone. You have both of us.”

“You just need to tell us if there is anything else we can do.”

I want to ask how long. How long will they help me? How long will they be in my life? But I don’t. I know they’re happily married. This is just men being protective or whatever.

“Clay, did it say how Sherry died?”

“No, and I found that a little odd. Her obituary was very vague. It’s almost as if someone who didn’t know her had written it.”

“That is weird. She has a family and accomplishments. And knowing her, she would’ve written it herself.”

“And what’s more disturbing, she hasn’t been dead that long.”

“What?” I breathe out. Not wanting an answer to my question.

I can’t think about this anymore. I don’t want to.

This hurts in a new way. Deeper. Stronger.

Did I cause this? All of this?

Clay

Her lips touch mine in question.

The hurt is obvious in her eyes. I want to take away the pain. The fear that lives within her. This is why her walls are so high. Why her defenses are polished and ready on command, she’s had years of building them up.

I’m getting to know and see the woman she really is. Underneath everything. The one I’m totally and completely in love with. Strong. Independent. Caring.

She should never have gone through what she did. Never. And what’s worse is that she’s been alone through it all.

Jo doesn’t want to think that we can help, but we will continue to talk about this until we can put an end to it. Get her the closure she needs and make this person go the fuck away.

“Please, Clay. I don’t want to think.”

Her words break through my thoughts. I return her kiss, long and slow. Tasting every corner of her mouth. Grant doesn’t miss a beat. Gliding his hands with mine along her skin.

Our kiss continues, she pushes into me, getting lost together. I catch the groan she lets out when Grant touches her mound. She has to be sore and sensitive.

My dick is hard and ready, even after everything we’ve done. But we can’t take her again. I don’t want to hurt her.