Burned Hearts by Calista Fox Page A

of smoke, broom in hand.”
    â€œThought we took care of that.”
    â€œNo,” I corrected with a bit of scolding in my tone that made his brow crook. “ You took care of it, when I’d specifically asked you not to, remember?”
    â€œAri. The woman planned to bleed you dry. You would have been stuck signing over every paycheck to her, working your fingers to the bone for nothing.”
    â€œTrue,” I reluctantly agreed. “Though I was formulating a strategy to—” The other brow jerked up. The double-doubt look. I laughed softly. “All right, all right. When it comes to her, I am not nearly as strong willed as I’d like to be.” Not to mention, I’d do anything under the sun to keep my dad from being publicly humiliated. He’d never deserved her venomous attacks, mostly stemming from the fact that injuries had kept him from reaching the top tier of professional golf legends—thereby, in my mother’s selfish opinion, precluding her from the elite status she’d sought by being his wife.
    â€œBaby,” Dane said as he slid his hand through my thick hair. “If she comes back, then—”
    â€œShe did come back,” I said. And cringed.
    His hand left my hair. His eyes squeezed shut briefly as he pinched the inner corners in obvious consternation. And irritation.
    I sighed. I was about to get an earful.
    â€œI didn’t want to trouble you with her visits,” I explained. “You had enough on your plate after the explosion—you still do.”
    His eyes snapped open. “Ari.”
    â€œDon’t get all surly.”
    He speared me with a challenging look.
    â€œOh-kay. Too late for that.” Despite the unpleasant subject matter, a smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “I thought we already ascertained that you can’t save the world.”
    â€œThe world, no. My wife, yes.”
    I couldn’t keep the grin at bay. “And I love you for your endless devotion. But my mother is the least of our problems.”
    He slowly shook his head. “She makes you cry, Ari. She makes you enraged and heartbroken all at once. I’ve seen how she devastates you. And she’s on my list of people I’d like to—”
    â€œDane,” I said, warning in my tone. I didn’t like when he went all scary-furious.
    He groaned. “Whatever. Have you heard from her recently?”
    â€œWhen I was in the hospital. Then I went off the grid at Macy’s retreat. Technically, she has no idea how to reach me, where to find me—where to even start looking—though when she’s properly motivated anything seems possible on her end. And hey, that reminds me. I need to let my dad know we’re back home.”
    â€œJackson already took care of it.”
    â€œHe thinks of everything, doesn’t he?” Our attorney was as loyal as Amano and as well connected and in tune to every little component of our lives. Thankfully, no one knew his association with us outside of our small circle. That kept him and his wife safe.
    Dane said, “If you do somehow hear from Maleficent”—one of my nicknames for my mother—“be sure to tell me. Immediately.” He did a little scolding of his own.
    â€œI swear.” I kissed him again. “Forgive me?”
    â€œIt depends.”
    I laughed. “Liar. You wouldn’t hold anything against me.”
    â€œThat’s probably true. But if you gave her money this last time, you’re in serious trouble.”
    â€œI didn’t. Kyle helped me out of the sticky situ—” My mouth clamped shut.
    Oops.
    Dane glowered. “That’s just fucking great, Ari. Is there any job of mine he’s not trying to take over?”
    I thought of our confrontation in the kitchen earlier, at the estate. Kyle had told me he loved me. That had been a doozie of a revelation. Though perhaps all along I’d sort of suspected