Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64366 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64366 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
“Okay, thanks.”
Braden assured me that he’d let me know if he heard anything before we ended the call. I had a really bad feeling. There was no legitimate reason for Jamie to be late and not answering calls or texts, especially when the flight had been on time.
I was just about to try Dr. Tanner again when my phone rang. Jamie’s name popped up on the screen, and relief flooded my system. Thank God he was okay.
“Hey, baby,” I said in greeting, hating that I sounded so needy.
“Hey,” he said back, not sounding needy at all. “Um, I guess you’re wondering why I’m not there.”
“A little. Where are you?”
“Well, actually I’m still in Georgia. I never got on the plane.”
Part of me felt relieved. Now I could just go to him there. Far away from my uncle and his bullshit.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” he continued. “Things have been getting a little crazy lately with your uncle, and people spying on us. And now with you having the episode. It’s just too much, Kage. You need to focus on your health and your career, and I need to finish school. I haven’t been able to pay attention in class for worrying about all of this stuff.”
“I can make all of the bad stuff go away. I’m working on it right now, Jamie. I have a plan.”
“I don’t know. I think it’s too late to go back. Now that I’ve made up my mind, it seems like the best thing for me would be to find someone who fits better with my lifestyle, you know?”
“Cameron,” I growled. “Is that it? Eddie Haskell wasn’t good enough for you, and now you want to get some real country club action? If you think that’s going to satisfy you, you’re in for a rude awakening.”
“Kage… That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?”
The silence on the other end of the line sounded like confirmation that he was moving on. Hell, there wasn’t even any emotion in his voice. How could he sound so calm when I was losing my shit? How could he not feel something?
“I’ll figure out some way to get the Rover back to you,” he said.
“Keep it.”
“I can’t do that. It costs too much.”
I channeled all the anger I was feeling into my words. “I don’t want anything from you. It’s paid for. Sell it and use the money as a down payment on that dream house you were talking about. Maybe you and Cameron can get a place right on the golf course. Something with a cute little picket fence.”
“I swear to you this has nothing to do with Cameron. I just can’t take the stress anymore. You don’t get what it’s like for me, because you’ve lived in it for your entire life. Hell, I don’t know anything but sports, college classes, and family dinners. The biggest drama I ever had was trying to pass my finals without studying. But now…” His voice dropped low, and his words were deliberate. “There are life and death stakes involved here, Kage. Do you hear what I’m saying? I still love you. I’ll always love you. But I have to go, okay?”
“I’m sorry.” Damn my voice for sounding so weak. “I’m sorry for the drama. I can do better. I’ll be stronger and stand up for myself. I’m going to tell them, Jamie. Monday morning, I’ll contact the biggest sports blogs and give a statement, and then it will all be over. We can go somewhere else and build a life together, even if the UFC doesn’t want me anymore. You’ll have your degree, and I can coach or something. We could start a gym.”
I was pleading, and I didn’t care, because Jamie was just going to walk away. How much more could I lose and still want to go on? I fucking hated feeling sorry for myself, but dammit, I needed something to live for. Something besides fighting.
There was a weighted pause on the other end of the line. My breathing sped up. Then Jamie cleared his throat.
“All of that sounds great, Kage. But it’s just too late. My mind is made up. I think this will be better for both of us.”
“So you’re just gonna end it like that? It’s that easy for you?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, Jamie.” I tightened my grip on the phone and moved to look out the window again, not really seeing this time. “But I want you to understand one thing. There’s going to come a time when you want to come back. I know you, and I know you can’t stay away. If you wake up tomorrow and realize you’ve made a mistake and want to come back, I’ll be here for you. You can tell me you were wrong, and we’ll kiss and make up, and everything will be back to the way it was.” I swallowed and turned my back to the window, shifting the phone to the other ear. “But the minute you fuck someone else, that option is gone. There’s no coming back from that. I’ll still want you, but I’ll never touch you again. And all of the things I do to you, the things that turn you inside out, I’ll be doing to someone else. You’d better make damn sure you can live with that.”