“Still, I want you out of The Sea Witch. Officially checked out.”
Since my pre-paid week had been up two nights ago and all my stuff was already gone from the room, I was guessing Rhonda the night manager had taken the liberty of checking me out. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t planning on checking back in, as soon as the dust settled. “Cade?—”
“Imogen.” His face was hard. Unyielding. “This isn’t open for discussion.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re very bossy.”
“No, what I am is pissed off your idiot ex thinks he can dig out from the mountain of shit he’s buried himself under using you as a goddamned shovel.” His eyes glittered with menace. “Now that Rory is home, I can dedicate my full attention to making sure that never happens.”
I wasn’t certain I liked the sound of that. “Maybe you should let me deal with it myself, Cade.”
“No.”
“What if Iwantto deal with it myself?”
“Too bad. I’m dealing with it.”
I sucked in a calming breath. “At this juncture, perhaps we should discuss your propensity for ‘dealing’ with my problems without asking me first. My car repairs, for instance.”
“What about them?”
“You paid for them!”
“And?”
“And, that’s crazy!”
“Why?”
“Because it isn’t your car to repair!”
Cade’s eyes narrowed a shade.
Uh oh.
He leaned in an inch.
Double uh oh.
“Goldie,” he said, sounding pissed. “Did I or did I not tell you I was going to give you your freedom?”
“Uh…”
“Did I or did I not tell you I was going to get you free and clear?”
“Uh…” I swallowed.
“Uh…Uh…what?” His patience was expiring. “Pretty sure I recall telling you.”
“You told me,” I whispered.
“Yeah. I did.” A muscle jumped in his cheek. He seemed to be struggling for control, but his voice was steady. “Step one of that is your car. It’s fixed — at least, for a while. You’re no longer dependent on anyone for rides. You want to, you can get in that car tomorrow, drive out of this town, and never come back.”
My heart twisted painfully.
Why did that — something I’d wanted since I was first marooned in Salem — sound more like a punishment than a reward?
“Step two of making you free is cutting Adrian Lombardo out of your life. For good, this time. Already told you I have plans for that. Plans I’ll be executing tomorrow, first thing.”