"Love, I'm ready to go. Can you pick me up?"
It was a relief to hear Rev's voice and to hear that he was ready to leave.
"Yes! I will be right there!", I assured him, standing. "Hold on".
I strode over to Luke who was giving some search parameters to a guy on our team.
"I'm going to get Rev. We'll be right back here".
"Move quick, L.G.", he said in his calm, quiet voice, his dark eyes serious.
That was a good sign. We were onto something.
I nodded and strode to the door, putting my phone back to my ear.
"Okay, am I coming back up to the room I last saw you in?", I asked Rev.
"I'm at the bloody front door, ain't I?", Rev snapped, sounding insulted.
I didn't take it personally. Injuries pissed him off because they slowed him down.
"Of course, darling", I said, unlocking the rental truck. "I'll be right there".
"All right then", he said, and hung up on me.
No sooner had I put the truck in drive and pulled out of the parking space did it ring again.
Ip.
My heart gave a flutter of anticipation and then I remembered my commitment to Rev. My poor heart was crushed.
"Hey", I answered in a swirl of conflicting emotions.
"Are you near Luke?", Ip asked, sounding excited.
"Nope. Just left to get Rev. Why?"
"Steve had a thought and Andy thinks he might be onto something. The guy who replaced Brad at work, Zack O'Brian, he stood to benefit from Brad's death. We want to find out if he is a True Patriot".
I felt a chill run up my spine and immediately took that as confirmation this guy was the mole.
"That makes complete sense", I said. "He's been able to see everything that's been happening there throughout the process. Call Luke directly".
"I will".
There was a pause. I could feel Ip's hesitation.
"What's the matter?", I asked.
"Paige, did you...have you decided to stay with Rev?", Ip asked quietly.
My stomach gave a great, wrenching surge of nausea and my heart started pounding violently.
"I...yeah, I did", I choked out. "I was going to tell you. I wanted to talk to you in person. Wait, how did you know?"
"Hunch", he said, sounding hurt.
"Ip, I'm so very sorry", I said, tears springing to my eyes. "This doesn't change how I feel about you. I just can't do this to him. Not again".
"I promised you I'd accept it", Ip said, voice breaking. "Doesn't mean I'm going to be happy about it, but I won't hound you about it anymore. I'm sorry I put you through everything".
"Ip, don't...".
Tears started spilling down my cheeks.
"I'm not sorry", I said. "I'm glad we got that week. I will literally never forget it, or you, we just...we just can't be together. I do love you".
"Fuck", he breathed.
He was definitely crying.
"I love ya, Shortcake", he said, voice breaking. "I will talk to you later".
YOU ARE READING
Whiskey River, Drown my Soul
Romance*Third in the Fire Whiskey series* With the tragic loss of her beloved Brad, Paige does what Rev did when she cut him out of her life before...she gives herself a mission so large there's no time for anything or anyone else. She ghosts everyone and...
