I might not be as much in the public eye as Nikki Fairchild, but I’d go through the same hell. At least her portrait had been art. Taken out of context, these were vile. They were the kind of pictures that would make the rounds on social media. That would get tossed up on YouTube.
This was the kind of crap that lived forever, and with a man like Cole August attached to the gossip, it would live even longer.
These photos would follow me the rest of my life.
And Cole had seen that from the beginning. He’d seen that the only way to protect my privacy was to throw himself back in the muck.
“Cole,” I said, my heart breaking as I slid my arms around him. He stood tense at first, unresponsive. And then he tilted his head so that his forehead pressed against mine and his arms tightened around my waist.
“You weren’t supposed to know any of this. I wanted to keep you out of it. To keep you shielded from it. But I guess I managed to fuck that up, too.”
“Cole, stop,” I said gently.
“I didn’t think you’d end up at Jahn’s,” he continued, and I wasn’t even sure he’d heard me. “I left the envelope there with the stone as a message to Tyler and Evan. So they would understand what happened if I didn’t return. Insurance, you know. Just in case.”
He leaned back so he could look at me. “But I didn’t think it would be a problem. I planned to go there, kill the son of a bitch and any of his flunkies who got in my way, then come back, destroy the folder, and go home to you.”
“Christ, Cole.” I could barely get a word out past the jumble of thoughts in my head. “How the hell could you even be sure that would end it? He might have left another set with someone for insurance against that very thing.”
“Not his style,” Cole said, “so I figured it was a calculated risk. If I was right, you’d be safe. And you’d never even need to know any of this happened.”
“And if you were wrong?”
“Then at least the bastard who did that to you would be rotting in the morgue.”
I raked my fingers through my hair. “You’d keep all of that from me? Lie to me?”
“You have no idea how far I’d go to protect you.” He stroked my cheek, his eyes taking me in, as if studying every line, every pore, every atom. “I want his blood, Kat. And I will have it.”
I shook my head, overwhelmed by the emotions swirling inside of me. “You think you have no control, but don’t you see yourself? You are nothing but control right now. You’re practically vibrating your grip is so tight.” I held tight to his hand. “Take it further,” I said. “Take it further by stepping back.”
“Stepping back?”
“You can’t do this, don’t you get that? Kill him and you’re back where you were before. That’s not who you are.”
“I’ll be whatever I have to be to keep you safe.” I could feel the intensity rising in him. A primal, earthy quality, as if he was gearing up for a fight. “I promise you. I can do what’s necessary with no problem whatsoever.”
I ran my fingers through my hair again, searching for an answer. The truth was, I didn’t care if he killed Muratti. From what I knew of the son of a bitch, he deserved to die. But the consequences to Cole scared me to death. “What about giving the land back?”
“Ran that option by the old man. He’s way past wanting the land. All he wants now is his pound of flesh.”
“What about the son?” I asked. “Maybe he can talk to his father and—”
“No,” Cole said firmly. “I did talk to him, and you’re right about Michael. He’s a hell of a lot more reasonable. But it’s Daddy’s show and it’s going to stay Daddy’s show until the old man kicks the bucket.”
“You can’t force that along.”
“Dammit, Kat, I can. I can and I will. Don’t you get it? Don’t you fucking get it? I love you, goddammit,” he said, and the passion in his voice nearly knocked me over.