“Good. I don’t get good vibes from him.”
“Elisa,” Sebastien says in a clipped tone. “We’ve both got early starts tomorrow. I want to take you home.”
I shuck out of Gia’s embrace, sending my boyfriend a cool look as I step up to Joshua. “Thanks for coming. It was great to see you.”
“You too.” He presses his mouth to my ear. “Do you want us to drive you home?”
I shake my head as I break our embrace. “I’ll be fine.” I’m skilled in self-defense. I know how to shoot a gun and use a knife. I work out regularly to keep fit, and if Sebastien pulls anyshit when I break it off with him, I won’t hesitate to defend myself. Besides, my bodyguard is shadowing me tonight. He won’t let anything happen to me.
“Let’s go.” Sebastien tugs my hand and drags me away from Joshua.
Gia and her fiancé trade a worried look.
“I’ll call you when I’m home,” I holler, letting my rude boyfriend lead me to his car.
Sebastien is seething the entire ride back to my apartment. It’s only a fifteen-minute drive, but it feels like ten hours. Now that I’ve made the decision, I’m itching to end things with him.
These past couple of days I have thought long and hard about my motivations for being with him, and they were never right to begin with. I was using Sebastien to try to get over Caleb, and it wasn’t fair. He’s always been way more invested than me. I’m ashamed of myself because I didn’t think I was that girl. The best thing I can do for both of us is to end it. Deep down, I always knew. It’s why I didn’t ever contemplate giving him my virginity.
All this time, I’ve still been saving it for Caleb.
All this time, Caleb has still been the one.
It doesn’t excuse his sins or mean all is forgiven, but I’m done using Sebastien to distract me from my feelings.
“So,” I say when we pull up to the curb at my apartment building, knotting my hands in my lap and drawing a brave breath.
“I’m coming up,” Seb snaps, yanking his door open before I’ve had time to give him my prepared speech.
I race after him. “Seb, wait,” I say, cursing as the door opens from the inside, and he slips into the building. He takes the stairs, two at a time, disappearing out of sight. “Fuck it,” I mumble. Guess we’re doing this upstairs. I take the elevator ’cause there’s no way I’m climbing seven flights of stairs in high heels.
When I get out on the seventh floor, he’s waiting by the door to my apartment, looking a little red-faced and breathless. Anger eeks from his pores like a tangible substance, and I’m eager to end this now and get him out of my life. I don’t know why I ever thought he was sweet when that was clearly a façade. He’s been like an angry bear since Gia’s party, and I’m done dealing with his mood swings.
We don’t speak as I open the door. Seb brushes past me and storms into the darkened room. Beatrice has already gone home for Easter, and the place is eerily quiet. I flip on the light switch and cross my arms over my chest after dumping my purse on the kitchen counter. Sebastien is pacing the floor, clutching handfuls of his hair and looking a tad bit deranged if I’m honest.
“I know why you behaved like that tonight,” I say, working hard to keep my voice level. “But it doesn’t give you the right to act so rude to my friends.”
“He’s a prick. Just like his brother.”
“That’s my best friend’s fiancé,” I remind him, raising my voice. “You don’t get to speak about Joshua like that.”
“Andyoudon’t get to tell me what to do.” Stalking to my side, he jabs his finger in my face.
“Back off, Sebastien.” I’m starting to feel threatened. “It’s obvious this isn’t working, so I think we should call it quits.”
“What?” he barks, glaring at me.
“I don’t want to see you anymore. I want to end our relationship now.”
“You little bitch,” he snaps, lunging at me and wrapping his hand around my throat.
I act on instinct, lifting my leg and kneeing him in the balls.
Seb roars, releasing me and cupping his crotch. I move to grab my purse, where my pepper spray is, when he shoves me against the door and slaps me hard. Stinging pain rips across my cheek as I lose my footing and tumble to the ground.
A look of horror washes over his face, but I’m not buying it. “Oh my god. Elisa, I’m so sorry.” He hovers over me, extending his arm.
“Get out!” I scream. “Get out, or I’m calling the cops!”
