"Can you blame her?" he asks, raising his brows, giving me an incredulous look.
I frown. "You think she was justified in doing so?"
He shrugs.
"You've been pushing her away the whole time you've been married to each other. You handcuffed her to the bed, man. Twice. You practically pretended like she didn't exist, yet you tried to control everything she did. You didn't want her to leave the apartment, and you did everything you could to prevent her from doing so. She was angry, and she had every right to be!"
The tension leaves my body, and I slump further into the seat as his words resonate in my mind, and a wave of guilt washes over me.
"It's time to pull your head out of your arse. She isn't your enemy, Dom. Lenny is. She made a mistake, but she never meant for any of this to happen. It's not her fault, and you can't blame her for it. She cares for you, possibly even loves you, and I can tell the feeling is mutual, so you need to go and fix this shit while you still can."
Huffing, I nod.
Glancing over at Percy once more, I stand up and place my hand on his arm. Squeezing it gently, I walk past Leo to the door.
"Stay here, and ring me with any updates," I tell him.
"Where are you going?" he asks.
"To talk to my wife."
Chapter Forty-Three
Dominic
Although the conversation with Leo calmed the simmering rage that was previously bubbling up inside of me, I'm still seething as I make my way up to the apartment.
I need to hear her side of things. I need her to explain why she chose to betray me, and I want her to help me understand it.
The elevator stops, and the doors slide open, but I remain standing inside the metal box, staring down the hallway that leads into my silent apartment.
I'm hesitant to go in there, unsure of what I'll find.
Will Alicia even still be here?
The answer to my question comes in the form of soft footsteps hurrying towards the elevator, and a fluffy face peering up at me.
Crouching down, I wait for Jellybean to reach me, and I pick her up, stroking at her fur while her rough tongue swipes across my exposed neck.
I remain standing in the elevator with Jellybean for a few minutes before I step foot into the apartment. Breathing deeply, I make my way towards the living room, the dog following along beside me.
Rounding the corner, I'm surprised to see Alicia curled up on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, with tear-stained cheeks and messy hair.
Her glassy eyes meet mine, and her bottom lip trembles as she lifts her knees to her chest, curling into a ball.
We stare at each other for a few moments, tension drawn tight between us.
She pulls the blanket tight around her body, the move making my stomach clench.
I want to go over to her, wrap my arms around her, comfort her, and reassure her, tell her that everything's okay, but I can't.
Crossing my arms over my chest and leaning against the doorframe to keep myself from moving towards her, I look away from her crumpled face, choosing to look out the window instead.
The sound of her sniffling reaches my ears, and although my heart aches from the sound, anger vibrates through my bones, and I grind my teeth.
"Crying won't make anything better," I mutter harshly, my narrowed gaze slashing back over to her.
Brows raised high, she shakes her head and scoffs.
