Chapter Twenty-One

Tanner slammed the door shut on his SUV, striding quickly around the condo to find the source of his fury sitting in a wicker chair on the back porch as her dog rested in the shade. He rounded on her quickly, clenching his hands in an attempt to leash his temper to no avail. If she were a man, he’d lay into the guy, pummeling away until he could no longer get up and needed a trip to the emergency room. Oakley’s gender protected her from his physical show of rage but wouldn’t leash his tongue.

Oakley had set him up, knowing how he felt about shrinks. She’d sucker-punched him in the gut, after deceiving him with her innocent act, and breaking his trust. Nothing could have hurt him worse. And, once lost, he never trusted again.

She glanced up from her computer at his approach, a grin immediately fading to an expression of concern. “Tanner?”

“You manipulated me,” he forced out through clenched teeth.

“What in the world are you talking about?” She stood to face him, setting the laptop aside, confusion written clearly in her expression.

“Dr Miller. Your former boss. Who just happens to be a psychologist.”

Her eyes widened as she clutched her chest. “I…”

“After I expressly told you how I felt, you damn well ignored my wishes. Introduced me to Miller, knowing he and I would click.”

Tears formed in those expressive green eyes. “I knew you wouldn’t talk to anyone on your own. I hoped you would like Dr Miller, form a bond with someone you shared a common background with.”

He threw up his hands in agitation, becoming louder with her admission. “What the fuck do you know?”

“I did it to help you.” She defended herself sincerely as tears overflowed, trickling down her cheeks.

Hercules trotted over, as if sensing his owner’s distress. He placed himself between the two of them, leaning heavily against her legs. Oakley automatically reached down to touch his head.

“Last time I checked, I was an adult and didn’t need someone else to make decisions for me, especially someone with the audacity to think she knows what’s best when she has no damn clue about anything. Let me put this in words you can understand. I don’t need help. I don’t want help. Especially your kind of fucking help.”

His phone rang. Jerking it out of his pocket, he glared down at her once more. “I can’t stand manipulating women who betray you every chance they get.” He flipped open the phone. “Owens.” After listening a few seconds he answered, “Fifteen minutes.”

“But, Tanner, I thought we—”

“No. There is no ‘we’, not after this stunt. You betrayed me, lied to me. So stay out of my fucking life. Shit, I wish you never were in it.” That said, he turned on his heel and stormed inside to grab his duffel bag and a few essentials.

When he closed and locked the front door later, he didn’t see Oakley. Probably threw herself on her bed to cry out her hurt feelings. She deserves it. He pictured those large emerald eyes overflowing with tears and his heart clenched.

This assignment had come at a perfect time. Who knew when he would return—or if? Hopefully, by the time he made it home, Oakley would have moved on and found some other simpleton to meddle with. Keep her out of his business. Hell, maybe if he was lucky, she would simply move out, finding another place to live. His gut twisted, a firm ‘no’ resounding in his head.

Ignoring both, he jumped into his vehicle, turned the engine over, and roared out of the parking lot.