For the Record (Record #3)(60)

Liz’s cheeks turned rosy. “Uh, no.”

He gave her a questioning look. “Care to explain?”

“Hayden got them for me when we were dating.”

Brady’s face turned murderous. “He got you charms for my necklace?”

“He didn’t know it was your necklace, just that I used to wear it a lot. He thought I might want updated charms so I’d wear it again,” she said softly.

“And?”

“What?” she asked confused.

“Did you wear them? Were you walking around with me dangling between your breasts?” he asked, fingering the locket where it was hanging. “With another man’s charms inside them?”

“No,” she told him, trying to remain calm. She knew that he wouldn’t like that Hayden had given them to her. “I never wore them.”

“Then I guess you don’t need them, do you?” he asked, tossing them into the trash can and walking out of the bedroom.

Liz stood there in the wake of Brady’s temper. Her hands were trembling slightly as she stared at the charms sitting at the bottom of the otherwise empty bin. She had no emotional attachment to the charms that Hayden had given her, but they were still hers to keep or throw away as she saw fit.

“Hey,” she called, jogging into the living room. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Did you want to keep them?” His arms were crossed over his chest and he looked as though his jealous streak had gotten the better of him.

“Not particularly, but it’s my choice. Not yours. And you don’t have to be angry with me about it.”

“I shouldn’t be angry that your ex-boyfriend gave you charms for my necklace?” he asked.

“They don’t mean anything to me and I never wore them. What does it even matter?”

Brady eyed her suspiciously. “I don’t like reminders that you were with him.”

“I definitely do not think about Hayden like that. I’ve only ever wanted you. Now that I have you, I’m certainly not letting you go for anyone else.”

“And yet you won’t believe that he set you up for those pictures,” he pointed out.

Liz’s mouth dropped. “What? How did you—”

“I know you.” He dropped his arms with a sigh. “I saw it on your face when Heather said it. Why won’t you believe that he would do that after everything else he has done to hurt you?”

“It just doesn’t seem like Hayden. He didn’t act like that when I saw him. He was there to apologize.”

Brady shook his head. “A hunch isn’t good enough, Liz. I can’t accept that from his past behavior.”

“Well, then let me contact him,” she blurted out. Brady gave her a sharp look. “I’ll ask him about the pictures and see if he knew about them. I know him. I’d know if he was lying.”

“No.”

“Brady, seriously.”

“I don’t want you talking to him. We’ve been through this,” he told her.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” she asked.

“You tip him and Calleigh off and so she’s more careful about who she sells information to,” he growled.

Liz sighed. “What if I don’t mention Calleigh?”

Brady grabbed her face between his strong hands and brought her close to him. “If you must talk to him, then fine. I don’t like it. I’ll never like it, and I don’t want this to become a routine thing. I don’t want to have this argument again.”

“I don’t want it to be routine either. I just want to get to the truth,” she said. Her eyes were locked on to his brown ones and she thought she was going to drown in that gaze.

“I trust you,” he said, kissing her on the lips hard. “I’m going to have to tell Heather about this. So please report back as soon as your brief conversation is over.”

“I will.” He started walking toward the door, but she reached out for him. “I’m sorry that it’s this way.”

“Do I get you forever?” he asked, his words as smooth as silk.

The words caught her off guard. They had never talked about forever. They had never really talked about anything until he had asked her to move in with him.

“Yes,” she murmured.

“Then it’s worth it.” He kissed her again before leaving. She was left to wade in the lingering ecstasy of his lips on hers and the whispered promise of forever.

With a sigh, Liz found her phone and hesitantly dialed Hayden’s phone number.

“Hello?” he answered. He sounded both shocked and tentative, like he didn’t know why she would be calling.

“Hey, Hayden.”

“Is . . . something wrong?”

“No. Well, not exactly,” she said softly.

The silence hung between them, thick with the breakdown of their failed relationship. She knew that she needed to say something, but she felt as if her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth.

“As much as I enjoy hearing from you, I am curious as to your reasoning,” Hayden said. “I assume you have a motive?”

“Did you set me up?” Liz gasped out. “With the pictures.”

“What?” he asked. “What do you mean?”