"Is there someone else in there?" My voice was a whisper now, my throat dry, raw. All rational thoughts left as hesitated for a second too long.
She straightened her posture, her eyes hardening as she nodded.
“There is someone else, yes.”
Something inside me fractured.
I wiped a hand over my face, forcing a laugh that held no humor, only disbelief. “Christ.” My chest ached like hell, my fists clenched so hard my nails dug into my palms. “Fuck, Michelle. I thought… I know we didn’t talk about being exclusive, but I assumed.”
I kicked at the railing, needing some kind of release, some way to stop the sting of betrayal from swallowing me whole. “It’s just you, for me at least.”
She barely looked at me. “Brooks, I-I think you should leave.”
Her voice was small, broken, guilty. “Let’s just…cool it for a bit.”
Cool it?
What happened to all the bullshit she said about this being different?
My temper snapped. “Was everything you told false? Was it a game or a distraction? Were you so sad with your life you wanted to come into mine to play with me?”
“No. No.” Her eyes went wide, pleading, but it was too fucking late.
I glanced past her, into the apartment, and my stomach turned.
Blankets and pillows were askew on the floor.
Had someone else been with her?
I couldn’t.
I couldn’t fucking do this again.
I placed a hand on the doorframe, leaning in, forcing my voice to stay calm even as my entire world collapsed.
"I was falling in love with you," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I was envisioning how we could work when I traveled for the season. I wanted you to see my mom on one of her good days or maybe lose myself with you when she had bad ones."
I swallowed hard, blinking against the sting in my eyes. "I can’t trust you. That’s it. That’s the issue.”
Her entire body shuddered, her eyes locking on something behind me.
I turned, following her gaze, my chest tightening.
Was she fucking waiting for someone?
“Michelle,” I said, sharper now. “Is someone else coming over? Is that what you’re looking at? Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
“No, it’s not?—”
“What it looks like?” I cut her off, stepping back, my heart ripping itself to shreds. "Is that the line you’re going with?"
She didn’t respond. She stared at me with her wide eyes filled with tension, then she shut the door.
Just like she had done two years ago. And I had no one to blame but myself. I had chosen to pursue her despite knowing her chances of staying were slim.
I needed a fucking drink or three.
The sooner I could wash her out of my system, the better.
