She takes a step closer and runs her index finger down my torso. “I'm sure I can think of a part of you that does.”
Stepping back, I cringe at the thought of sex with her. “Cut it out. It's not cute, it's desperate, and that isn't a good look on you.”
That seems to strike a nerve, because she drops the innocent act. “When are you going to just forgive me? You and I both know we're going to spend the rest of our lives together. That guy didn't mean a thing to me.”
“That's what you think this is about?” I all but shout. “You think I'm mad because you cheated?”
“Yeah. What else would you be mad about?”
Oh my God. “You are seriously deranged, you know that? You beat the fucking shit out of yourself and then had me arrested for it! There's no going back from that.”
She rolls her eyes. “Please. You were locked up for a couple hours before I dropped the charges. Relax.”
“I shouldn't have been locked up at all!”
I know I need to drop my voice down. It's well past ten in the morning, which means Hollis is wide awake inside the house. The last thing I want is for him to hear me yelling.
Taking a deep breath, I close the gap between us so she can hear me despite the low volume. She gets the wrong idea, though, because she smiles as I get closer.
“Let me make this as clear as possible, since you obviously have an issue with understanding,” I tell her firmly. “There is no us. No you and me. No Harland and Lindsey. It's over.”
She glances past me and rolls her eyes before running her hand through my hair. “I've always loved when you grow your hair out.”
My brows furrow. “Are you even listening to me?”
“Yes, but it's hard to focus when you look this good.”
I close my eyes for a second to contain my anger before I lose my ever-loving shit. I think about how Emery is waiting for me to come back, and how I finally have the ability to kiss her whenever I want. It's all working to calm me down, but when two lips meet my own, I'm jolted back into reality.
“The fuck?” I ask as I push her away, but a whimper behind me sends fear straight through my body.
No.
Lindsey grins deviously as I spin around to see Emery standing there. If I thought she was devastated yesterday, it doesn't compare to how hurt she looks right now.
“Em,” I plead.
She swallows, as if she's willing herself not to cry. “You weren't answering your phone. I got worried.”
Lindsey wraps her arm around mine. “Oops, sorry. Old habits and all that.”
What the fuck? Her tone is sickeningly sweet, in an evil kind of way, and I watch as they hit their intended target because Emery winces.
“Wait, no. It's not...This isn't...”
But she doesn't care to hear anything I have to say. She shakes her head and runs into the house. As I go to follow her, Lindsey steps in front of me.
“Get out of my way.”
She puts her hands on my chest. “No. Being with her is a bad idea.”
“Bad idea?” I snarl. “Being with you for so long was the worst idea of my life. Get the fuck out of my way!”
Rolling her eyes, she steps to the side. “Fine.”
I start to rush past her, but her next words stop me dead.
“But imagine how the press will eat you two alive when they find out she hid your son from you for years.”
My whole body goes cold. “How the fuck do you know about my son?”
She opens and closes her mouth before coming up with an excuse. “Your sister told me.”
“Bullshit!” I roar. “My sister fucking hates you.”
“That's not true.”
I'm not interested in any more of her lies. “How long have you known I have a son?” She sighs and reaches for me, but I dodge her. “How fucking long, Lindsey?”
“She would have ruined everything,” she says, and the last bit of respect I had for her vanishes in an instant. “I was protecting you. Your career. Your fame. Your success. None of it would have happened if I didn't step in and do what I did.”
“Un-fucking-believable.” I feel like I'm going to vomit, or maybe commit murder if she doesn't get out of my face fast enough. “All you have ever done for me is ruin my life. Now fucking leave before I show you what it would really feel like if I abused you.”
The door opens behind me, and I see Emery walking out with Hollis. He waves at me happily, but she doesn't let go of his hand, marching quickly back to her car.
“Em!” I call. “Emery, please. You have to listen to me. Nothing happened.”
She doesn't answer and instead robotically puts Hollis in the car and buckles his seatbelt.
“Babe, I wouldn't do that to you.”
Shutting the car door, she turns to glare at me. “Really? You wouldn't?” she growls, shoving her finger into the center of my chest. “Do you not remember the morning after our son was conceived? Because this is that all fucking over again.”
I shake my head, feeling my chest tighten almost to the point where I can't breathe. “No. I swear this isn't like that. It's not the same.”
She laughs, but there's not even a trace of humor in it. “Really? Because it looks exactly like that.”
Taking her face in my hands, she tries to pull away, but I won't let her. I need her to listen to me.
“Emery, please,” I beg. “I meant every word of what I said last night.”
For a second, it looks like she's actually starting to calm down. I wipe the tears from her cheeks and feel relief flood through me as she grabs my wrists, but it's gone the second she pulls my hands away.
“I’m sorry. I just can’t trust you.”
I stand there, frozen in place as I watch her climb into her car and drive away—leaving me with my broken heart in my hands.
Chapter Nine
Emery
Sobs wrack through me as I drive through town. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to calm down. I only get a couple blocks away before tears blur my vision so bad, I need to pull over. If I were by myself, I might chance it, but with Hollis in the car, I won’t.
I knew better. I knew how bad he broke my heart five years ago, and I still let him back in. I fucking knew better!
“Mommy?” Hollis asks. “You okay, Mommy?”
Using the backs of my hands, I quickly wipe away the tears and put my brave face on. “I'm fine, baby.”
“Did Hawlan make you sad?”
It's adorable how sweet he is, but the last thing I want is for him to think negatively of his dad, even if I think he's a lying fucking pig.
I shake my head and look at him through the rearview mirror. “No, honey. Harland didn't make me sad. I'm okay.”
By the grace of God, he takes the excuse and goes back to playing with his iPad. And me? I shove my emotions to the side. They'll have to wait until later, because my son needs me.
I sit on the couch in a mess of self-pity and heartache. It’s pathetic, really. Even I would make fun of me. Thankfully, Hollis has been pretty into his toys, so he hasn't paid much attention to the way I keep tearing up.