Taking It All (Surrender Trilogy #3)(51)

Chessy sighed but nodded and shuffled back toward the guest bathroom. Kylie waited until she was certain Chessy was in the shower before dialing Joss’s number.

As expected, Joss didn’t take the news well at all. Kylie winced at the expletives that filled her ear. If Joss was swearing like a sailor then it really was bad.

“I can’t believe he let that happen,” Joss raged. “Dash will kill him.”

“He’ll have to wait in line behind Jensen,” Kylie said dryly.

“Poor Chessy,” Joss said, tears evident in her voice. “What are we going to do, Kylie?”

“Well, the first thing is that Jensen and I are going to take her by her house after she gets out of the shower so she can properly pack what she needs. After that? She’ll stay here. I’ll sit on her if I have to.”

“Should I come over too?” Joss asked. “I can meet y’all there.”

“I think it would be best for Chessy if you came over here, after she’s packed. It’s going to be an ordeal for her and she’ll need to be surrounded by friends. How about I text you when we’re leaving her house and you can meet us here.”

“That sounds good,” Joss replied. “I can’t believe this, Kylie. I just can’t believe he let this happen.”

“Neither can I,” Kylie said softly.

TWENTY-ONE

CHESSY tensed when Jensen pulled into her and Tate’s neighborhood. Her fingers curled into tight fists and she fought the surge of tears that welled in her eyes. Kylie turned to look at Chessy over her shoulder, her eyes brimming with sympathy.

“You’ll get through this, Chessy. Jensen, Joss, Dash and I will be here for you.”

“I know,” Chessy said.

“Shit,” Jensen muttered when he made the turn into Chessy’s drive.

Chessy looked and her heart plummeted when she saw Tate’s car parked outside the garage. What was he doing home? Why?

“What should we do, Jensen?” Kylie asked anxiously.

Jensen put the car in park and turned to look at Chessy. “It’s up to you, honey. Kylie and I will go in with you, but if you’d rather come back when he isn’t here I’ll be happy to bring you another time.”

Chessy squared her shoulders resolutely and spoke with calm she didn’t quite feel. “No. I’ll do it now. I have to face him sometime. I won’t let him make me afraid to walk into my own house.”

“Okay then, let’s do it,” Jensen said, opening his door.

Chessy climbed from the backseat and started toward the door on wobbly legs. Before she was halfway up the walk, the front door flew open and Tate filled the doorway, his appearance haggard and unkempt. As if he hadn’t slept at all the night before. Relief poured from his face.

“Chessy, thank God you came back,” he said in a hoarse voice.

And then he looked beyond her as if he’d been so focused on her that he hadn’t even noticed that Jensen and Kylie were there.

“Chessy? What’s going on?” he asked quietly.

“Jensen and Kylie drove me over so I could pack more of my things,” Chessy said, proud of how steady—and firm—she sounded.

He looked as though she’d slapped him right across the face. He visibly flinched and then ran a hand through his already rumpled hair.

“You’re moving out?”

The pain in his voice made her heart clench. But she steeled herself against letting him manipulate her emotionally. This wasn’t about him. It was about her finally standing up for herself and doing what she should have done a long time ago.

Jensen walked up to stand beside Chessy, adding his silent support as he stared Tate down. There was open disgust in Jensen’s expression. Tate wouldn’t even meet Jensen’s gaze. Guilt was plastered all over Tate’s face and then resignation swamped his eyes and he stepped aside so Chessy could enter the front door.

Chessy walked by him, Kylie following behind. Jensen remained, however, and Chessy paused just inside the partially open door. Kylie looked questioningly at her, but Chessy held a finger to her lips and pointed at the door.

“What the f**k were you thinking, Tate?” Jensen demanded. “How could you have allowed your wife to get hurt while you were taking a f**king business call? Have you lost your goddamn mind?”

Chessy winced but Kylie looked as though she wanted to cheer.

“This is between me and Chessy,” Tate said in an icy tone. “I don’t need your input when it comes to my marriage.”

“Someone needs to knock some sense into your head. God only knows why she’s put up with you as long as she has. You had so many chances to make things right and you blew it big-time.”

“I love her,” Tate said. “I’ve made mistakes. I wish to hell I could undo them. But I won’t let her go. I’ll fight for her with my last breath. I’m not going to just stand back and let her walk out of my life, even if that’s what I deserve.”

Jensen made a sound of disgust. “You don’t act like a man who loves his wife. And you damn sure haven’t put her first when it comes to any part of your life.”

Chessy bowed her head, tears gathering in her eyes. She knew what Jensen was saying was true, but to hear that truth from a third party hurt. That the problems in her marriage were so obvious to others. It was humiliating.