Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
After an hour of work, she needed a break. The music still played about broken hearts and betrayal and she let herself mourn. Not for Jeremy, she knew getting rid of him was a gift she should have given herself a long time ago. But for the life she thought she wanted and would have. So she kept Taylor playing and lowered herself onto the sofa.
No sooner had she sat down than she heard sounds from the hallway outside the apartment and seconds later, banging on the door. Apparently she wouldn’t have to text Jeremy to come here after all.
She braced herself for the confrontation to come, rose to her feet, walked to the door, and opened it. Jeremy stood on the other side, fist raised to knock again, his cheeks flushed red with anger.
“Jeremy! You saved me a call. Come on in. You can start dragging your boxes to the elevator. Or you can go downstairs for a luggage cart. Or, if you aren’t feeling up to exerting the effort, I’m sure the doorman will help you. As long as you tip him, seeing as you aren’t a tenant in this building.”
“You can’t do this, Samantha. I live here.”
“Lived here. And only because I allowed it. Now I don’t. So take your things and get out.” She made a show of glancing at her watch. “You have ten minutes.”
He shoved her aside, literally put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her out of his way, walking toward the bedroom.
Startled, she stared after him and drew a deep breath, trying to relax and breathe until he was gone. Jeremy was an arrogant, gaslighting jackass, but he’d never touched her in anger before.
Swallowing hard, she left the door open, feeling somewhat safer if someone could hear her, and walked to the windows overlooking the city. Jeremy’s voice carried from inside the bedroom, though she couldn’t make out the specifics of his conversation. A few minutes later, a knock sounded and she looked up to see Andrew, the doorman, standing with the luggage cart.
“Hi, Andrew.”
“Hello, Ms. Dare. Mr. Rollins asked me to bring the cart up for him.”
She smiled. “Thanks. You can leave it there. He’ll be loading it up and heading down soon.”
With a nod, he turned and strode down the hall, his footsteps sounding as he walked to the elevator.
Jeremy came out a few minutes later, dragging a box behind him. “I can’t believe you rolled up one hundred percent cashmere,” he muttered, picking up the box near the door.
“It’s summer. You have plenty of time to get them dry cleaned.” She leaned against the window and watched as he hefted the box onto the cart and stormed back inside.
“What did you say?” he asked, stalking toward her.
“I said you have plenty of time to get them cleaned,” she said, enunciating each word.
He entered her personal space and she stiffened. With the window behind her, she felt trapped. He stood way too close, giving her a whiff of his overpowering cologne, which she’d never loved but now turned her stomach.
“Back up,” she said, her tone firm.
“You’ve pushed me to my limit today.” His voice rose and once again he was red in the face, his voice rising. “I agreed to let Marley go and now you’re throwing me out of the place I’ve been living with no notice! Not to mention you disrespected my things—”
“You disrespected me, you cheating son of a bitch!”
He raised a hand and slapped her. Stunned, she stared at him, her hand resting on her heated, hurting cheek.
Equally shocked, he gaped back. “Samantha, I didn’t mean—”
Before she could catch her breath or process the pain, Jeremy went stumbling. She blinked away the tears and saw Dex holding her ex up by his shirt, arm pulled back, ready to throw a punch.
“Dex, no! He’s not worth it. Please, just make him leave.” Her cheek stung, she wanted an ice pack and time alone to breathe.
His hand shook as he turned toward her. Something he saw penetrated his fury because he released Jeremy who tripped and scrambled back.
Eyes narrowed, jaw clenched, he said, “Get the fuck out and don’t bother her again.”
Still pale, Jeremy looked from Samantha to Dex, who was more muscular and taller than him. “Send the rest of my things downstairs and I’ll come get them,” he said, and rushed out.
“Jesus, sweetheart.” He stepped forward and placed a gentle hand under her chin, examining her cheek.
“How bad is it?” she asked, still stunned anyone would hit her.
“Just a light handprint,” he said through gritted teeth.
She sensed from his rigid stance, he was holding back his anger while he took care of her and she was so grateful he’d shown up when he had.
“Come on. Let’s get you some ice.” He put his arm around her waist and led her to her kitchen. She directed him around the apartment and soon, he had an ice pack wrapped in a soft T-shirt and pressed it to her cheek. “Okay?” he asked.