This Is Love, Baby (War & Peace #2)(17)

I jerk my head to see Brandon’s chest heaving with rage. Before I can stop him, he darts forward and slams his knuckles across Gabe’s temple, rendering him unconscious.

“What the hell did you do that for?” I screech and throw my hands up in the air.

He lets out a fierce growl that chills me. “He was getting loose,” he says, motioning to the rope holding Gabe to the chair. “He’d managed to loosen the rope around his wrist. I’ll string him up tighter. Why don’t you go lie down and rest? You’re awfully pale, babe.”

Ignoring the wooziness from not having eating today, I hold my palm out to him. “Fine. But I want to try and reach my dad. Give me your phone.”

“It died,” he murmurs while working to tighten the rope in quick, sharp movements. “I don’t have the charger with me.”

I want to challenge him on his words, but I don’t. Brandon always carries a portable phone charger in his truck. Why wouldn’t he have it with him? My mind whirls with reasons as to why he’d lie to me, coming up empty. Brandon has never lied to me. Not once. He’s always been the one person I could count on.

“What did he mean?” I question, my thoughts lingering on Gabe’s earlier words.

Brandon flits his gaze over to me and frowns. “About what?”

“About my dad. What did he mean about asking you? Is there something you know and aren’t telling me?”

He throws his hands in the air and immediately he becomes defensive. “W—What? You think I have something to do with all this? Come on, Baylee,” he says with a hiss of disbelief, his eyes darting back between me and Gabe’s unconscious form in a way that has me on edge. “I checked in on your dad while you were gone. He’d lost Lynn and I knew you would want me to make sure he was okay. Jesus Christ! And then one day he upped and vanished. Why do I feel like I’m the goddamned villain now?”

Guilt floods through me and I shake my head in argument. “I just…”

“Believed that monster over me.” He clenches his jaw and I can tell he’s trying not to cry.

My emotions take over and I reach a shaky hand over to touch his shoulder. I want to comfort him. Because of my own exhaustion and grief, I’m taking it out on Brandon. I’m believing that monster over him, just as he says. “I’m sorry, Brandon.”

With a big sigh, he reaches up and clutches my hand that covers his shoulder. “It’s okay, babe. We’ll get through this together. I promise.”





I LIED TO her.

Again.

How many times will I have to lie to her?

Leaning against the counter, I cross my arms over my chest and watch her leave the kitchen. As soon as she’s gone, I pull my phone from my pocket and turn it off so it won’t buzz or ring while she’s around. The last thing I need is for her to discover that I have it and that it is working just fine.

A dull throb begins to form behind my eyes and I sigh out in frustration, stuffing my phone back into my pocket. Stark had said Baylee was wanted for questioning in the attempted murder. When Baylee whimpered and moaned his name while she slept, I knew.

Gabe was right. She is, for some God-awful f*cking reason, in love with him.

The thought enrages me.

It makes me want to lift the slat of the hole to the cellar and push Gabe to his death for being the cause of all of this.

But mostly, it hurts.

My mind can’t comprehend how she could feel anything for her captor. Except for intense hatred. Fuck, this guy is no different than Gabe. How could she not see that? I’d honestly assumed she was lying—possibly playing him in order to survive.

Once I saw her running down the street and then later had her in my arms, I almost laughed at myself for having entertained such a stupid notion even for a second. Of course my girl couldn’t love some monster who paid money to f*ck her. Of course she still loved me with all of her heart, like I love her.

But now?

Now I know it wasn’t a f*cking act.

She does love him. I see it in the way she won’t hold my gaze—the guilt pouring from her eyes giving her away. I feel it in the way she avoids my touch, instead pushing me away.

I have to fix this.

And if that means lying to her to keep her safe, so be it. It isn’t normal for her to have fallen for someone who paid money for her. Clearly, he f*cked with her head. Soon, she’ll come to this realization and come back to me. I’ll get my girl back.

A few tiny lies mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. Those lies will protect her mind and her heart. As her boyfriend, the love of her life, I will make sure I do whatever it takes to protect my girl.




“I’m hungry.”

The voice from the kitchen is weak and shaky. Baylee, who sits curled up on one end of the couch, eating a sandwich meets my gaze with wide eyes.

“You don’t deserve to eat, *,” I call out, and then stuff a chip in my mouth.

Baylee’s lips press together in a firm line. Her eyes are darting back and forth from me to the food on her plate. Finally, she sets the plate on the coffee table and snatches up the uneaten other half of the sandwich.

“I’m going to talk to him,” she says as she stands.

Anxiety floods through me as she stalks off to see Gabe who had unfortunately regained consciousness. If he doesn’t keep his mouth shut, he could ruin everything. Dropping my plate to the table, I jump up and stride after her.