through hell would be a walk in the park for a man like Tanner Hayes. Where he’s been, the things he’s done… you cannot recover from such darkness. He is more beast than man. And he has at least one ulterior motive in all this. I don’t want you to wait around to find out what that is. He’ll hurt you, Trista. It’s the only thing he’s good at. ”
“There’s at least one more thing he’s good at,” I say, my anger getting the best of me.
Another long pause. In my bones I feel the last words I spoke might have just doomed Tanner. I wish I could shut up. I should have never made this call. Tanner begged me not to make this call.
“ When you’re ready to hear about who your boyfriend really is, come to me and I will set the record straight. My only concern is you. ”
“Daddy,” I say, my voice barely audible. “I have to go.”
I hang up before I say anything else damaging or he can spew any more of his lies. My heart beats fast. My palms sweat inside Ella’s gloves.
Tanner was right. He’s always right. I’m such a fool. No one can win when they deal with Jordan Kane, not even his daughter. He did not get to where he is now by losing.
Wandering back inside, I stop for a moment before the fire that has been burning all day in the safety of the rustic cabin. Through a large window, I see Tanner and Jax still out on the porch.
They look like an Abercrombie and Fitch commercial on steroids. They look like better looking, more muscular Kennedys. They look like every girl’s fantasy. American Princes. The boys you dream about.
But now suddenly Tanner looks like more to me. Not every dream ends on a sunny beach with unbridled laughter and a perfect kiss. Some dreams start perfectly, but take a turn, sometimes a very dark turn. My father was right about one thing.
There is so much I don’t know about Tanner.
Chapter 13
Trista
A candlelight Christmas dinner takes my mind off the future. It’s hard to believe I’m here with friendly faces, holding onto the hand of a man I adore. It’s impossible to believe it has only been twenty-four hours since I was living a completely different life alone. It feels like years have passed.
Whatever Jax told Tanner has cast a shadow over him. He’s polite and charming when called upon but otherwise serene and withdrawn. Asking him now would do no good. I will have to press the issue later. Every woman knows how to pump a man for information when necessary.
Ella raises her wine glass to make a toast. We all follow suit. “May this be the first of many wonderful nights together,” she says.
“We are so thankful,” Tanner says. He catches himself before he becomes too serious. “Salute!”
The wine tickles my throat and almost instantly scintillates my blood. The weight of the world falls warmly away. Things might not be perfect, but I’m with Tanner and two more shimmering souls and it’s Christmas. Even in uncertain times magic can spark to the surface and shine in the eyes of friends, especially when there’s wine and candlelight.
“To be in this cabin, having this meal with you on Christmas night,” I say, but I can’t finish. Tanner squeezes my hand. Ella takes my other hand.
“Yes,” Ella says. “It feels sacred, doesn’t it? We’re so happy you guys are here. Life is so fucking good sometimes.”
Jax laughs. I sense that he loves the rare occasions when Ella swears freely in front of guests. “Did you just swear in our little private church?”
We all smile except Tanner who seems to have missed the bonding.
I move our linked hands onto his strong thigh, trying to get him to remember we are here with him.
“So, any plans for tomorrow?” Jax says.
Tanner shrugs as he puts his wine glass down. “We can get out of your hair anytime. You’ve been too kind.”
“Don’t be silly, Tanner. We’re friends,” Ella says. “Jax is trying to tell you that we’re going to drag ourselves back to Pacific Palisades. Family
“There’s at least one more thing he’s good at,” I say, my anger getting the best of me.
Another long pause. In my bones I feel the last words I spoke might have just doomed Tanner. I wish I could shut up. I should have never made this call. Tanner begged me not to make this call.
“ When you’re ready to hear about who your boyfriend really is, come to me and I will set the record straight. My only concern is you. ”
“Daddy,” I say, my voice barely audible. “I have to go.”
I hang up before I say anything else damaging or he can spew any more of his lies. My heart beats fast. My palms sweat inside Ella’s gloves.
Tanner was right. He’s always right. I’m such a fool. No one can win when they deal with Jordan Kane, not even his daughter. He did not get to where he is now by losing.
Wandering back inside, I stop for a moment before the fire that has been burning all day in the safety of the rustic cabin. Through a large window, I see Tanner and Jax still out on the porch.
They look like an Abercrombie and Fitch commercial on steroids. They look like better looking, more muscular Kennedys. They look like every girl’s fantasy. American Princes. The boys you dream about.
But now suddenly Tanner looks like more to me. Not every dream ends on a sunny beach with unbridled laughter and a perfect kiss. Some dreams start perfectly, but take a turn, sometimes a very dark turn. My father was right about one thing.
There is so much I don’t know about Tanner.
Chapter 13
Trista
A candlelight Christmas dinner takes my mind off the future. It’s hard to believe I’m here with friendly faces, holding onto the hand of a man I adore. It’s impossible to believe it has only been twenty-four hours since I was living a completely different life alone. It feels like years have passed.
Whatever Jax told Tanner has cast a shadow over him. He’s polite and charming when called upon but otherwise serene and withdrawn. Asking him now would do no good. I will have to press the issue later. Every woman knows how to pump a man for information when necessary.
Ella raises her wine glass to make a toast. We all follow suit. “May this be the first of many wonderful nights together,” she says.
“We are so thankful,” Tanner says. He catches himself before he becomes too serious. “Salute!”
The wine tickles my throat and almost instantly scintillates my blood. The weight of the world falls warmly away. Things might not be perfect, but I’m with Tanner and two more shimmering souls and it’s Christmas. Even in uncertain times magic can spark to the surface and shine in the eyes of friends, especially when there’s wine and candlelight.
“To be in this cabin, having this meal with you on Christmas night,” I say, but I can’t finish. Tanner squeezes my hand. Ella takes my other hand.
“Yes,” Ella says. “It feels sacred, doesn’t it? We’re so happy you guys are here. Life is so fucking good sometimes.”
Jax laughs. I sense that he loves the rare occasions when Ella swears freely in front of guests. “Did you just swear in our little private church?”
We all smile except Tanner who seems to have missed the bonding.
I move our linked hands onto his strong thigh, trying to get him to remember we are here with him.
“So, any plans for tomorrow?” Jax says.
Tanner shrugs as he puts his wine glass down. “We can get out of your hair anytime. You’ve been too kind.”
“Don’t be silly, Tanner. We’re friends,” Ella says. “Jax is trying to tell you that we’re going to drag ourselves back to Pacific Palisades. Family
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