Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
“I’m so sorry,” I offer Jacob who keeps a surprised smile on his face, as if it didn’t bother him in the least.
“You fucked—”
“Stop it!” I scream again, and this time my voice feels raw and it pains me to scream. My body’s hot and shaking, adrenaline coursing through my blood as my heart races.
“Get out of here,” I say as I usher Jacob away. His eyes flash with something, perhaps disbelief.
“You’re cheating on me,” Evan says it as if it’s a question, his nostrils flaring and his hands still clenched into fists.
“You’re an idiot,” I say, keeping my voice low, apologizing again to Jacob and feeling the heat of embarrassment.
“It was a sucker punch,” Jake says loud enough for Evan to hear. “And no, I didn’t sleep with Kat.” He looks Evan dead in the eye with the last line.
Embarrassment and horror wrap themselves tight around me as Jake leaves.
With my throat tight and arms crossed, I face Evan and say, “I’m not the one keeping secrets, you fucking asshole. He’s a client and nothing more.” My gaze almost shifts away from him. I know there was something, a chemistry that kindled between Jacob and me. A tension that I wanted to push. But it’s only because I was hurting, and I never submitted to the temptation. I couldn’t hurt Evan like that. I never would.
“What is wrong with you?” My question is dripping with nothing but disdain. For a moment I think of all the questions on the tip of my tongue, asking him why he’s doing it and when he turned into this man. But this is the man I married. I’m the one who’s changed. Not him.
Evan takes a step forward and his hand raises to my shoulder. I smack him away, barely feeling his hot skin against mine. “Don’t touch me,” I yell at him. My hand stings from the impact and I can’t stand it.
I can’t stand what we’ve become.
Evan’s shoulders rise and fall steadily.
“Kat,” he says and his voice cracks, like my name strangles him as he whispers it again. He takes a hesitant step forward, raising his arms and the blood from his torn knuckles is all I can see.
“What were you thinking?” I can barely ask him. Evan’s expression falls and he looks past me. It’s only then that I turn and see that Jake is gone. “What’s wrong with you?”
“What was he doing here?”
“I’ve never cheated on you, and I wouldn’t. Ever. Evan, I can’t deal with this. The partying and what you’re doing. Punching people for no damn good reason!”
“I quit, Kat. And you sure as hell know what it looked like. If he didn’t fuck you, he wanted to.”
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“I came to tell you everything,” he says and his admission changes the tension in an instant. The evening is seemingly colder in the blink of an eye.
“I might … I might have some things happen.” He closes his eyes and moves his hands to his hair. Hands with split knuckles and traces of blood.
Was he always like this? I want to hold and comfort him. But it’s no use.
“I was stupid.”
“Evan, you’ve had years to be stupid. Years of me begging you to grow up.” Every word hurts more and more. I know I’m not going to give him what he needs. I can’t anymore.
“I wanted you to be my partner.” I whisper the words, my voice laced with disappointment.
“I thought that’s what we were.”
“I need someone who’s ready for the next stage of life.” I barely get the words out as my throat dries and closes, threatening to suffocate me. But I finish the thought, making my heart split into two as I look deep into Evan’s eyes and tell him, “Or no one at all.”
“Kat,” Evan says, whispering my name as if it’s a threat. One against him. Or maybe it’s a plea. “I’m sorry, okay?”
My head shakes and the words won’t come out.
“I’m sorry I hit him, it looked bad at first. It looked like something else to me, but even then I shouldn’t have hit him.”
“No, you shouldn’t have.”
“It was shitty of me. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he says and I believe him. But it’s not enough. He’s still the same Evan.
I wipe the tears from my eyes with the back of my hand as I shake my head. “I can’t do this anymore.” It’s the truth and even though it’s the worst pain that I’ve felt in my entire life, I know it needs to be done. “I will be better on my own.”
“Don’t say that,” Evan pleads, but he stands there not moving, his hands by his side and his body stiff with disbelief. Or maybe fear. “I can’t lose you,” he says. I feel like my heart is breaking, but I shake my head.