Free Broken Dreams (Broken Series) by Dawn Pendleton

emerald fire.
    “Let’s get one thing straight, Chris Baker – I am in control of this relationship. I say when it ends, not you!” she spat. I knew I must look like an idiot, staring at her, slack-jawed and silent, but I had a hard time wrapping my head around her words.
    Here I was, deep in love with this woman and she was pushing me away again , and there was nothing I could say to derail this tragic train wreck. So I let my anger get the best of me.
    “Of course it is, Rainey. You’re wrong on one aspect, though – this isn’t a relationship
.
” I stalked toward her and she covered her naked body protectively. I put my face close to hers and enunciated every word. “A real relationship doesn’t involve massive amounts of control by one person and forcing the other person to do whatever she wants him to do. I’m not some brainless oaf who you can just push around. You don’t get to just make me fall in love with you and then stomp all over m e like a heartless bitch!” I stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door so hard the mirror shook.
    I turned on the sink and splashed cold water over my burning face. My pulse raced and I stared at myself in the mirror, noting my left eyelid twitching uncontrollably. My breaths were ragged, my fists clenched at my sides so tight my fingernails bit into my palms. I knew I shouldn’t have gotten into her space. The worst part was, I didn’t have any excuse.
    Anger was hardly a new sensation to me, but this fierce possessiveness I felt toward Rainey was novel to me. I was a self-proclaimed perpetual bachelor – when did I turn into some lovesick pup? I might not like it, but I could hardly do anything to control my feelings for her. She was an amazing woman and I was an ass for treating her that way.
    With a deep breath, I shut off the running water and opened up the bathroom door, ready to apologize for my behavior.
    My bedroom was empty. Even though my gut told me Rainey wasn’t somewhere else in the apartment, I searched the living room and kitchen anyway. She was gone.
    Smooth move, Baker. Real smooth.
    Chapter Nine
    Rainey
     
     
    I ran out of Baker’s apartment and had no idea where to go. My first reaction was to go to Mallory or Gabby, but they wanted me to be with Baker and they would probably side with him. Hell, they pretty much already had. And so had Luke. They all thought I should tell Baker and they pushed and pushed until I had broken.
    I wasn’t in a place to make undying vows of love to Baker, even though he clearly had feelings for me. My shock at his announcement of falling in love with me had gone unnoticed as he continued his tirade. When he went into the bathroom, I booked it out of there as fast as I could, afraid of him. Not physically, of course. Baker would never lay a hand on me, but his love was fierce and demanding, two things I just couldn’t handle right now.
    Maybe if you told him about the leukemia, he wouldn’t push so hard, a voice said in the back of my mind.
    Shut up.
    And now I was talking back to the voices in my head. I must be clinically insane. The leukemia was obviously messing with my brain function.
    I blew out a labored breath and continued to run. I made a left on Standpipe Road and realized I was only a mile away from the farm house Wolfe was renting. I might not want to talk to someone, but the truth was, I needed a non-partial party to vent to. And since a therapist wasn’t available, Wolfe would be the next best thing.
    Six minutes later, I knocked on his door and rested my hands on my knees on his porch, trying to regulate my breathing.
    The heavy oak door swung open. “Rainey?”
    “Hey, Wolfe,” I said as I looked up.
    His tall stance was only barely framed by the door. He probably had to duck his head to go through the doorway and I smiled at the thought. I had never paid much attention to him before, mostly because he was Gabby’s husband, which meant he was off-limits. His green eyes were darker