King's Treasure (Oil Kings Book 3) by Marie Johnston (great novels .TXT) 📗

“I’m not going to leave you.”

“But you already have.”

The words rocked me back on my heels like she’d smacked me. “I know when I left DC—”

“It’s not just DC. Why Kosovo?”

“I told you—”

“About Hector. You didn’t go there for your career. He was convenient. You left when it was easy. Leaving Montana would be the same. You haven’t committed to a place. You haven’t committed to a career. How do I know you’re committed to me?”

“Because we’re together.”

“We weren’t today. You left because you can’t commit to your family. A conflict arises and you leave.”

My mind spun. I should’ve known there’d be issues when I came back. I should’ve known that leaving the way I had would bother my wife. I couldn’t change what I’d done, but I wasn’t prepared for this conversation. I’d ignorantly thought I’d ride back and Savvy would talk about our next adventure.

“Remember why I married you? How afraid I was I would be left alone in this world with no support? You were so knowledgeable and I thought I’d be safe with you.” She shook her head, tears glittering in her eyes. “Now I’m the one with knowledge. I know I’ll be okay no matter what. I have a family who cares about me and they may not understand me, but they’ll support me. They’ll be there for me.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying . . .” She tilted her head back and stared at the porch ceiling. “I’m stronger than I thought I was. I have a month to think about the job, and I need some space.”

“Savvy.” She couldn’t be serious. She was just pissed that I’d taken off for the day.

“Xander.” She pushed her long locks back from her face. “I’ve been through a lot of changes. I can keep going, doing what we’re doing, thinking I need to be better, or I can go back home, visit my family, and use my last name like I did with Saving Sunsets. Bernard was right. It opens doors and I can take advantage of that in a good way.

“But I thought we were . . .” In love. In this together.

“Fifty million is a lot of money, but I met Bristol. I’ve seen that shack on her farm. I was terrified of living that woman’s life.” She let out a scornful laugh. “I don’t care if she gets the money. I don’t know that she won’t do more with it than I could, but I know that I have to take charge of my life.”

We’d started out wanting to be together. How could she think that had changed? “Savvy, we can talk about this without you leaving.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t want her getting the trust.”

The money itself didn’t matter. Who it went to if I lost the trust didn’t matter. Failing my family again did. Facing my dad with a failed marriage after I’d spent my college money and lost the money Mama had put aside just for me would eat away at me for the rest of my life.

I didn’t get the words out in time. Savvy huffed. “This time I’ll be the one going. I’m going to be the one with so much confidence in leaving, fuck how anyone else feels.”

My pulse raced. I didn’t like the idea of her going. Would she come back? Would I see her again? Would she ask for a divorce? She had no way of getting to town unless Dawson or I gave her a ride.

Headlights pulled into the drive. Was Dawson expecting someone?

She went around me and opened the door to the house. She grabbed her backpack and suitcase from inside the door.

How the hell had she found a ride? “Where are you going?”

“I’m taking an Uber to Billings.”

How the hell . . . “King’s Creek doesn’t have Uber.”

Her smile was sad. “You’ve just never needed one.”

“Chief miraculously found an Uber driver that could take you to Billings after dark?”

She stiffened and faced me. “No, Xander. I found a ride. I’m paying for it and my flight home.” She started down the stairs.

I jogged after her. My hands twitched to take the bags from her. To take them and throw them back on the porch. “Savvy, tell me what I can do to make this right.”

The driver, a woman, which made me feel better and further drove home the point that Savvy wasn’t stupid or impulsive, opened the back door and returned to the driver’s seat within seconds. I was grateful for the semblance of privacy.

“I don’t know, Xander. Only you can decide what you’re going to do.”

Chapter 21

Savvy

I didn’t know what I was doing. I dropped my head into my hands. The papers were in front of me, drawn up by a lawyer that Mother had recommended.

Just because she’d recommended one didn’t mean she agreed with my decision. Biting back my pride, I’d outlined the reasons why and she’d given me a curt nod and her lawyer’s number.

Overall it would be a simple divorce. Simple, but necessary for me to move on.

I had insisted Xander get his shit together, and I hadn’t heard from him.

Fine. It was fine. Just because I stayed out of the sitting room and slept in Pearl’s room while I was home didn’t mean it bothered me.

I’d flown back to DC. I’d unpacked everything from my suitcase except the ring that had been left in it since Kosovo. I should’ve seen the signs. Neither of us had worn our rings in Montana. We hadn’t thought of them. I’d like to think it made sense—we’d each only worn a wedding ring less than two months of our lives. It was better not to look into it too hard.

Instead of crying into my pillow that still smelled like Xander no matter how fresh the sheets were, I made plans. I hadn’t hit the ground running, but I’d been crawling.

The flight home had given me time to think. The job with King Oil would be a good one. Gentry had sent the information. The pay had