Free His Call by Emma Hart

secret is coming between us and my vile ex-wife is the center of it yet again.
    The door slams behind me with a certain finality. It’s a deafening sound that echoes down the stairwell. The elevator is no good for this ...this anger. There’s no outlet.
    But not even the harsh pounding of my feet against the stairs can beat this anger out.
    I pull out my cell and call the office. Dottie answers almost immediately.
    “Find out where Naomi is living. Now.”
    My cell is snatched from my hand, and I turn to see Tyler bringing it to his ear. “Ignore that, Dottie. He’s having a bad day.” My cousin pockets the phone and looks at me.

    “What the fuck, Ty?”
    He grabs my arm and leads me through the lobby. “Going over there when you’re this angry isn’t going to solve anything. What you need, mate, is a drink.”
    I don’t want a drink. I want to find out why the woman I love kept such a huge fucking secret from me. Why she’s been dealing with this shit alone when I could have dealt with it weeks ago.
    Still, I allow Tyler to lead me to the nearest bar and order two glasses of whisky. I drain mine in one go and nod to the bartender for another. The liquid burns as it goes down, taking away from the anger settling in my chest.
    “When did she tell you?” I ask Tyler, staring straight ahead.
    “In London. After she came to Jenna’s shoot,” he replies. “She froze every time Naomi’s name was mentioned and I wanted to know why.”
    “You pushed her into telling you?”
    “Pushed her into telling you, too. She was going to tonight. The letter threw everything off course.”
    I swallow, my throat dry despite my constant sipping. I feel utter disbelief. Dayton made it very clear in Paris how much she despises secrets. She berated me endlessly for having kept Naomi from her, and now, in a cruel twist of irony, she’s done the exact same thing.
    For the last three weeks, she’s been carrying this around. Through everything we’ve dealt with, she’s kept this fucking secret.
    She stood in front of me and asked me to bear my soul to her when she wasn’t doing the same thing. She wanted me to be open when she was unable to do it herself.
    “Why didn’t she tell me?” I face Tyler now.
    He shrugs a shoulder with a heavy sigh. “She wanted to protect you. She didn’t want you to worry about it. She felt like it was her problem, not yours.”
    I rub my hands across my face. It hurts more than it angers me. The fact that Naomi could do this, could blackmail Dayton for her own selfish needs, angers me beyond belief. I feel that fury grasping on to my body, but the hurt from Dayton not being able to tell me overcomes it.
    I slump onto the bar, fisting my hair. Suddenly, all too acutely, I feel the pain she must have felt in Paris.
    “Fuck,” I breathe heavily. “I can’t believe she’s been coping with this by herself.”
    “She’s determined, that’s for sure. I offered to help her out and she pretty much fucking laughed at me. I’ve never known anyone so independent, if you discount Tessa.” Tyler chuckles.
    It’s easy to imagine —Dayton laughing at him. She doesn’t take being helped well.
    I drink the rest of my drink and stand up. “Come with me.”
    Tyler follows me from the bar. “What are you doing?”
    I know that the store is down this street. It’s a personal favorite of my mother, one my dad has visited time and time again. Right now, I’m thanking him for having shown me it.
    “Mate, you’re fucking mental,” Tyler explodes when we stop in the front of the jewelers.
    A small laugh leaves me. “No, I’m just a presumptuous bastard.”
    “What the hell are y ou thinking?”
    I look at my cousin. “I’m thinking Naomi already came between us once and I’m not letting it happen again. I’m also thinking Day will kill me when I ask her, but it’s about the only thing that will calm me now. I need to know that , one day, the ring I’m about to purchase will be on that