He looks at me."You ready?"
"Yeah."
"Remember the plan.Let him talk.Let him think he has a chance.And when I give the signal, you move."
"I remember."
He crosses to me and kisses me.Hard.Possessive."I love you."
“Now? Now you’re going to say it?” I wanted to cry, laugh, go next door to his apartment and show him how much his words meant to me. But we had to finish this first.
"I love you too," I say instead.
His answering smile warms me from within and I know we’re going to end this tonight.
"Stay safe."
"You too."
There's a knock at the door.I’m frankly surprised they knocked.
Timothy moves to the bedroom, leaving the door cracked.He's close enough to hear.Close enough to intervene if things go sideways.But out of sight.
I take a breath and open the door.
Randall is standing there, and seeing him makes my stomach turn.He's wearing jeans and a black T-shirt, his hair cut short, his face clean-shaven.He looks good.He always looks good.That's part of his con.He’s alone. I wonder where the second guy is.
"Hey, babe," he says.Like we're old friends.Like he didn't trash my car last night."Can I come in?"
"No."
"Carla, come on.We need to talk."
"We don't have anything to talk about."
"I think we do."He leans against the doorframe.Casual.Relaxed."I saw your car.Someone really did a number on it.You have any idea who would do something like that?"
The audacity.The absolute nerve.
"It was you," I say.
"Me?Why would I do that?"
"Because you're obsessed.Because you can't handle the fact that I left you."
"I'm not obsessed.I'm concerned.You disappeared for eight months, Carla.Eight months.Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
"I don't care."
"You should.Because I care about you.I always have."
"You don't care about me.You care about control.About owning me."
His smile fades."That's not fair."
"It's true."
"I made mistakes.But I'm getting help.I'm in therapy.I'm working on my anger issues."He steps closer.I don't move."I can be better.For you.For us."
