The words hit him, but it wasn’t Michael’s voice Hayden heard, it was Briella’s, echoing through him.
And for a fleeting second, Hayden almost broke.
He quickly masked his emotions, his jaw tight. “That’s none of your business.”
“The hell it isn’t!” Michael shot back, striding across the room until he was right in front of the desk. “You’re ready to throw yourself into a marriage just to fill the hole Briella left in you. Do you even hear yourself?”
Hayden’s breath hitched. For a moment, just a moment, he faltered. But then his walls shot up again. “Briella made her choice,” he said flatly. “She doesn’t want me. I’m not chasing her anymore.”
Michael slammed his hands on the desk, the files scattering. “Bullshit. This isn’t about moving on, Hayden. This is about running. You think thro
