“Urgh,” I scream and hang up.
I’m furious.
Not only ishepurposely not calling me, buthe’salso turnedhisphone off, so I can’t callhim. Undeniable grief washes over me, then quickly replaced with immeasurable anger.
“Ahhh,” I yell loudly and look down at my cell, where all my anger is now tunneled. Tears are flowing, and the anger boils to the surface as I pace the floor. It explodes out of me, and I throw the stupid cell phone at the wall just before the bedroom light turns on. Joseph dodges out of the way of the projectile that misses his head by inches and smashes into the wall, breaking it into two parts.
I fall in a heap on the floor, and Joseph is quickly by my side, wrapping his arms around me.
“Hey… Dee. You wanna tell me why you nearly took my head off with your phone?” he asks, stroking my hair as I sob into his chest.
“Hesaidhemissed me,” I mumble, my breath coming in shaky bursts, my heart lodged firmly in my throat.
“What? When?” Joseph asks, concerned but more confused.
“On the phone.Hecalls every night.Hesaidhemissed me, andhewanted to see me, but it was all a lie. He’s aliar.” I sob.
“Dee, why were you talking to Colt? I never heard you on the phone.”
“I never talked. I listened. Why did I listen tohim? Why? I’m so stupid… stupid… stupid,” I say.
“You’re not stupid, sweetie. You’re in love. And that’s so hard to break away from.”
“I never talked. For all this time, I never said a thing, and then last night, I said three words and agreed to talk tohimtonight. An actual conversation.Hesaidhewanted to see me.Hesaidhemissed me.”
“Okay. So, what didhesay to make you smash your phone?”
“Nothing,henever bloody called. I waited and waited, and when I couldn’t wait any longer, I ranghim, butheturnedhisphone off.Hewas probably paying me back for leaving him. Wanted me to get my hopes up only to shut me down and leave me like I lefthim.”
Joseph says nothing.
He just holds me, letting me cry until exhaustion takes over. When my body goes limp with half-sleep, he scoops me up and carries me to bed. He stays. Lying behind me, wrapping me in quiet comfort as I drift into a restless sleep—where I’m drowning.
Slowly, sinking deeper and deeper, I am pulled under until the water steals the last bit of air from my lungs.
Until I can’t breathe.
Chapter Thirty- One
Somehow, I force myself to get out of bed.
It’s midday the next day, but I have dragged my sorry ass out of bed.
I will not lethimbreak me this time!
Joseph and Danny have stayed home, worried I’ll fall in a heap again, but I won’t return to that dark place. So I’ve picked myself up as best I can and head downstairs.
Danny and Joseph are talking in the kitchen.
When I walk in, Danny smiles, giving me that sympathetic look only he can provide.
Joseph turns. “Hey! Didn’t think we would see you today.” He walks over with his arms outstretched. I nod in answer, not really in the mood for talking. He hugs me, and I welcome his embrace. Who would have thought Joseph would bemy person? But as it turns out, he is the one man Icanrely on to be there when he says he will.
I know what I’m feeling is resentment, not anger.
I resent the factheplayed me like that.
“Want something to eat, princess? Joseph’s made some killer brownies,” Danny says.
