Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 69610 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69610 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
“How so?”
“I don’t want to say it, but I think she has her hand in some bad things. Why else would she be spending time with people she’s never had an interest in?”
“And do you think she’s been unfaithful?”
“I know she has. What I don’t understand, is why she simply won’t tell me she’s done with me. If she doesn’t want to be with me, she can always leave. Nobody is stopping her.”
“Do you love her, Mr. Morrison?”
“With all of my heart. It’s killing me to watch this happen. I had to speak out about the accident. I had to tell my story. I’m living in agony. The love of my life is leaving me behind for local criminals and a country music star.”
“Do you think your looks have anything to do with her sudden change of heart?”
God.
This isn’t happening.
It isn’t.
“Yes. I think it has everything to do with it. She feels guilty, so she’s staying with me, but she doesn’t really love me. She’s spending her free time with men far better looking, who are stronger and better for her. But I’d be good for her, if I could. She just won’t give me the chance. Beauty is only skin deep, I wish she’d remember the love we shared before the accident.”
“And do you think her sudden entrance into country music, and the time spent with Scarlett Belle, has made things more difficult for the repair of your relationship?”
“Yes. Without a doubt. Scarlett Belle was known to be messing around with the same bikers, only recently. She nearly threw her own career away. Now she’s taking my girlfriend on the same path.”
“Thank you so much for your time today, Caiden.”
I slam the newspaper down, fingers trembling, and look up. Scarlett was standing right beside me the whole time, I didn’t even realize until her warm hand settles on my shoulder, but my eyes go straight to Malakai.
“Is it true?”
I don’t know how to answer that without making things so much worse. He’s looking at me like I’ve let him down, like I’ve just changed the way he thought about me forever. That isn’t what I wanted, it’s never what I wanted. I should have told them the truth, before this, because now, it won’t matter what I say, I’m going to sound like the worst human being in the world.
“Malakai,” I whisper.
“Is it fuckin’ true?” he roars, and I flinch.
I don’t need to hear sound, to feel the anger his words shoot right in my direction.
“Please,” I say, my voice shaking. “Let me explain.”
“It’s a simple answer,” Maverick says, voice calm, but hard. “Is it true, or is it not?”
“Not in the way he put it,” I try to say, but my heart feels like it’s going to explode out of my chest. “He made me sound ... awful. But it’s not like that, not at all.”
“So you fuckin’ lied?” Malakai says, and the betrayal and hurt in his eyes makes me want to curl up and die.
“No,” I croak. “I never lied. I never told the story. I just ... if you’ll let me explain. If you’ll let me tell you what really happened.”
“I thought you were the fuckin’ one.”
With that, he turns and walks out. I watch him go, the first of my tears sliding down my cheeks, followed by more. He hates me. He has every right to. I should have told him from the start, but I never imagined things could get this ugly. I never thought Caiden would ever do something like that. Even in all his rage, I never thought he’d do this.
Maverick turns, and I watch him go over to Scarlett. They start talking, but my vision is too blurred to pay any attention to what they’re saying. Back and forth, their voices go, and I just stand there, vacant. They’re fighting, I can see it in the way Scarlett waves her arms around. She’s angry.
She isn’t supposed to be angry.
This is my battle, not hers.
Maverick turns, shooting me an angry glare, and then he walks out, too.
Scarlett rushes over.
“Honey, are you okay?”
“You shouldn’t be fighting with Maverick for me,” I whisper, my voice barely there.
“Maverick can suck my dick,” she says, looking directly at me. “He might not be willing to hear you out, but I am. And Malakai can take second round. Jerk off.”
It makes me feel a little better, for a split second.
But the reality of the situation is that Caiden has effectively made me pay for what I did.
“Let’s take a walk,” Scarlett tells me, pulling my arm and hooking it through hers. “It’s time for you to tell me a story.”
Yes.
I think it is time.
-10-
THEN – AMALIE
“I’m guessing we’re over, but I wanted to make sure,” I whisper to Caiden.
It’s the first time I’ve seen him since he’s been home.