needed to ensure the safety of their workers and protect Ivy.
“I can’t believe those bastards. Why my wife? What has she done? She doesn’t have anything to do with the industry!”
“I thought you said she’s been sending articles to the local papers to keep face for Mattson Hardwoods,” Ward said.
Liam forcefully breathed hot air through his nose. “So you believe someone read those articles and saw her name, and now she’s a target?”
“Probably. What did the police say?” Ward leaned against the desk and folded his arms over his big chest. The look in his eyes tortured Liam, because it was so close to the one Ward had possessed when Liam had left. What was the man thinking to put that look there?
He shoved his wheels and the chair drifted forward, within touching distance of Ward. If only Liam could get out of this fucking chair and put his arms around the man he’d hurt so badly.
“You’re shaking.” Ward’s voice was soft and filled with the rasp of caring.
Liam clamped his hands on his wheels harder. “Fuck, yeah. This is my wife we’re talking about.”
“I’ll do anything to keep her safe. I’ll stay up all night and sit with a shotgun outside your house.”
The idea had merit. If one trespasser set foot on their land, he’d find himself with built-in air conditioning—to his heart.
“The police said stuff like this rarely results in any action. It’s the threats the people get off on.” Liam bowed his head. Why hadn’t he gotten out of this chair months ago? That’s if I can.
Ward gripped Liam’s shoulder. “We’ll take care of her. I’ll drive her to and from work.”
Liam shook his head. “What reason would you give? I had no intention of telling her about the threat, Ward.”
“What do you mean you aren’t going to tell her?” Ward’s voice raised a notch. “It’s her life—she deserves to know.”
“She’s stressed enough with this,” Liam swept a hand over his legs, “and with what happened the other night—”
“Wait. That stressed her?” Ward’s bright gaze drilled through Liam. The sapphire specks in his eyes still sent Liam reeling. And when he’d seen those eyes dark with passion as he came into Ivy’s body…
He shook himself. “I’m not sure. We haven’t exactly discussed it. But she was quiet all weekend.”
“Thoughtful quiet or filled-with-pain quiet?” Ward smacked the sole of his boot off the wooden front panel of the desk.
Liam lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “We haven’t been discussing deep topics this past year, man. But I did tell her about work and going for therapy.”
“Why the hell didn’t you talk about what happened with us, though? Dammit, Liam, she deserves that much. She has to be whirling from what happened. Her husband gave her to another man, for Chrissakes!”
Liam clenched his teeth. “I know.” He already felt shitty enough about his failure to make Ivy happy. He didn’t need Ward’s reminders.
“Then you know you should have sat down and talked about it before we went at it in that bed.”
Wrenching his wheelchair to the side, he faced away from the man’s accusatory looks. “I’m trying, all right?”
“Yeah? Doesn’t look like it from this side of the fence.”
Was that how Ward saw himself? On the outside looking in? Liam shook his head. No, that wasn’t right. In his heart, Ward stood right there with Ivy. There was no goddamn fence.
Dropping his face into his hands, Liam drew deep breaths. “What should I do?” He’d been out of control for so long, even his decisions weren’t correct, apparently. Would Ward take over if he handed him the power?
The last thing Liam wanted was to appear weak, yet he didn’t trust himself anymore. He’d chosen not to try the therapy and that decision had been woefully wrong. He’d allowed his wife to drift along on a sea without love, thinking she would be happier on her own than with half a man.
All wrong.
He spun to face Ward. The
“I can’t believe those bastards. Why my wife? What has she done? She doesn’t have anything to do with the industry!”
“I thought you said she’s been sending articles to the local papers to keep face for Mattson Hardwoods,” Ward said.
Liam forcefully breathed hot air through his nose. “So you believe someone read those articles and saw her name, and now she’s a target?”
“Probably. What did the police say?” Ward leaned against the desk and folded his arms over his big chest. The look in his eyes tortured Liam, because it was so close to the one Ward had possessed when Liam had left. What was the man thinking to put that look there?
He shoved his wheels and the chair drifted forward, within touching distance of Ward. If only Liam could get out of this fucking chair and put his arms around the man he’d hurt so badly.
“You’re shaking.” Ward’s voice was soft and filled with the rasp of caring.
Liam clamped his hands on his wheels harder. “Fuck, yeah. This is my wife we’re talking about.”
“I’ll do anything to keep her safe. I’ll stay up all night and sit with a shotgun outside your house.”
The idea had merit. If one trespasser set foot on their land, he’d find himself with built-in air conditioning—to his heart.
“The police said stuff like this rarely results in any action. It’s the threats the people get off on.” Liam bowed his head. Why hadn’t he gotten out of this chair months ago? That’s if I can.
Ward gripped Liam’s shoulder. “We’ll take care of her. I’ll drive her to and from work.”
Liam shook his head. “What reason would you give? I had no intention of telling her about the threat, Ward.”
“What do you mean you aren’t going to tell her?” Ward’s voice raised a notch. “It’s her life—she deserves to know.”
“She’s stressed enough with this,” Liam swept a hand over his legs, “and with what happened the other night—”
“Wait. That stressed her?” Ward’s bright gaze drilled through Liam. The sapphire specks in his eyes still sent Liam reeling. And when he’d seen those eyes dark with passion as he came into Ivy’s body…
He shook himself. “I’m not sure. We haven’t exactly discussed it. But she was quiet all weekend.”
“Thoughtful quiet or filled-with-pain quiet?” Ward smacked the sole of his boot off the wooden front panel of the desk.
Liam lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “We haven’t been discussing deep topics this past year, man. But I did tell her about work and going for therapy.”
“Why the hell didn’t you talk about what happened with us, though? Dammit, Liam, she deserves that much. She has to be whirling from what happened. Her husband gave her to another man, for Chrissakes!”
Liam clenched his teeth. “I know.” He already felt shitty enough about his failure to make Ivy happy. He didn’t need Ward’s reminders.
“Then you know you should have sat down and talked about it before we went at it in that bed.”
Wrenching his wheelchair to the side, he faced away from the man’s accusatory looks. “I’m trying, all right?”
“Yeah? Doesn’t look like it from this side of the fence.”
Was that how Ward saw himself? On the outside looking in? Liam shook his head. No, that wasn’t right. In his heart, Ward stood right there with Ivy. There was no goddamn fence.
Dropping his face into his hands, Liam drew deep breaths. “What should I do?” He’d been out of control for so long, even his decisions weren’t correct, apparently. Would Ward take over if he handed him the power?
The last thing Liam wanted was to appear weak, yet he didn’t trust himself anymore. He’d chosen not to try the therapy and that decision had been woefully wrong. He’d allowed his wife to drift along on a sea without love, thinking she would be happier on her own than with half a man.
All wrong.
He spun to face Ward. The
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