Letting Go (Surrender Trilogy #1)(67)

“If it comes to that, yes,” Dash said in a low voice. “I hope it wouldn’t come to that, Kylie. You are very good at what you do. This company needs you. I need you. I would hate to ever have to replace you, but if you make trouble for Jensen, you can and will be replaced.”

Kylie paled, her eyes going stark with pain. Her gaze flitted over Joss with the same accusation she’d voiced just moments before. Joss flinched at the look, knowing Kylie saw this as the ultimate betrayal. Not just by Dash but by Joss herself. She’d expected Joss to side with her. To protest Carson’s replacement.

It was evident in her every expression, her body language, that she was furious, not only with Dash but with Joss, and perhaps more so with Joss.

“You invite me over, dump this on me like this and then expect me to play nice with a man who is replacing my brother,” she said painfully. “How did you expect me to react?”

“We invited you over because I would rather tell you in private and give you time to collect yourself before he arrives. The alternative was telling you in the office on Monday, and I thought we meant more to one another than for me to tell you in a business setting. Perhaps I was wrong about that.”

Dash’s voice was cold, anger radiating from him in waves. Kylie had pushed him too far and her attack on Joss had infuriated him all the more. Joss squeezed his hand again, a silent signal that it was all right.

“It’s okay, Dash,” Joss said softly, voicing her thoughts so he would know without question. “I understand why she’s upset. She doesn’t mean it.”

“It’s not okay,” Dash bit out. “She has no right to treat you this way and I won’t allow it in our home.”

“Our home?” Kylie asked incredulously. “Have things progressed so far then, Joss? Have you already moved on and forgotten the man you were married to for three years? What exactly is going on here? Are we all supposed to just forget that Carson existed? Maybe you can, but I can’t. He was my only family and he’s not so easily replaced. Not for me.”

“If you don’t apologize to Joss right this minute, I’ll ask you to leave, and furthermore, you will come into the office on Monday only to clear out your desk and tender your resignation,” Dash said in a frigid tone. “What is between me and Joss is none of your business. She doesn’t require your approval or blessing, though she’d like to have both. She loves you and she’d cut off her arm before ever purposely hurting you. But you’re hurting her and that’s bullshit. I won’t have it and I damn sure won’t allow you to come into our home. Yes, our home, Kylie. Joss is with me, and you have two choices. Accept it and be happy for her or get out. Which is it going to be?”

Joss felt the color bleed from her own face, a match to Kylie’s. She shook uncontrollably and it seemed to anger Dash all the more. His hold tightened around her to the point that she could barely breathe. No, she hadn’t expected Kylie to take it well, but neither had she expected Kylie to lash out at her like this.

Was it what Chessy thought too? That she had so easily forgotten Carson and moved on at the first opportunity? Were neither of her friends truly happy for her? Would she lose their friendship because she wanted to be happy again? Why was being happy asking too much? Why couldn’t Kylie accept that all Joss wanted was to not be so lonely any longer?

Tears burned her eyelids and Dash saw. His entire body tensed and fury fired through his eyes.

“You’ve upset Joss and that I won’t accept,” Dash said tightly. “Apologize or leave, and make it quick. I will not stand by and allow her to be abused in her own home.”

Kylie looked shocked and pained at Dash’s words. The word abuse struck a chord in Kylie and it obviously horrified her that she would be accused of abusing another person.

“I’m sorry, Joss,” Kylie said in a near sob. “I didn’t mean to hurt or upset you.”

“You’ve done both,” Dash said in a curt voice.

“It’s okay,” Joss said quietly. “I know you didn’t mean it, Kylie. Give Jensen a chance. I’ve met him and he seems like a good man. Carson liked and respected him. That should be enough for you.”

Kylie briefly closed her eyes and then she hurried over, throwing her arms around Joss, knocking Dash away.

“I’m sorry. I love you. I do. I’m so sorry, Joss. What I said was awful. There’s no excuse. I was just caught off guard. I wasn’t expecting it. Please forgive me.”

Joss hugged her back, her heart still constricted at the things Kylie had said. She believed Kylie was genuinely sorry but her words still hurt. Like tiny darts finding their target. Was it what everyone would think? That she’d so easily gotten over Carson and could so easily replace him? It had been three years! It wasn’t as though she’d hopped into the sack with Dash a week, a month or even a year after Carson died.

Dash looked at Joss over Kylie’s shoulder, his expression murderous. He knew Joss was hurt—was still hurting—over Kylie’s outburst, and it was obvious he’d do anything to spare her pain.

Joss shook her head at Dash, a signal to drop it. Kylie was emotional. She’d always been so. And she often spoke without thinking. Joss knew Kylie loved her just as she also recognized Kylie’s faults. And when you loved someone, you accepted every part of them. Even the not so perfect things.