Tears began to prick my eyes, my past colliding with my future in front of my eyes in a way I never imagined.
“Stop it!” I finally choked out, my hands covering my mouth, trying to hold back the bile that threatened to spill from my gut.
Immediately, Cane’s fist was blasting into Decker’s face—once, twice, three times. Decker stopped swinging and lay still in the fetal position, his hands trying desperately to cover his face.
Cane stood as Decker lay still, his face already swelling from the blows it was dealt. His eyes were wide with fear.
My stomach had become a pit of acid. I hated everything about this situation, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Cane stuck his foot on the side of Decker’s face, pushing his head roughly to the side, before turning to me. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me this motherfucker called you yesterday,” Cane said, his eyes wild. “Didn’t you feel that was a fact maybe I should fucking know?”
Cane’s lips were a thin line, his jaw pulsing with anger as he looked at me.
“He sent me a box of pictures I had left behind, and I burned them, Cane. The smoke? It was the smell of my life before you going up in flames.”
His face softened. Marginally.
“He called me, and I told him to never call me again. I didn’t tell you … I should have, I guess. But I didn’t want to cause a bunch of drama for nothing.”
“Yeah, for nothing. Right,” he said, holding my gaze for a fewmore moments. He looked down at Decker and removed his foot from his face.
Cane peered down at my ex-husband. “I am going to let you up. I want you to get in your fucking car and get the fuck out of here. Got it? Move on with your life because her future? It’s with me.”
He shook his head as he bent down and grabbed him by the shirt, helping him to his feet. “Now get.”
Decker spit a mouthful of blood onto the porch as he looked at me. “This was your last chance.” The eyes that I once knew so well, that I once saw my life in, seemed so alien to me. “I won’t be around when you decide you’ve messed up. You’re on your own.”
With that, he turned and stumbled to his car. I could see his sinister scowl—even as one eye was swollen shut—as he backed out of the driveway.
Holy. Shit.
Did that just happen?
I bent over and put my hands on my knees, trying to get air in my lungs. Trying to find calm.
“This was your last chance.”
Cane walked slowly across the room. He wrapped me in his arms and rested his cheek against the top of my head. He took a deep breath. “You will never be on your own.” He squeezed me tighter as my tears flowed.
I sighed as I wiped my face and sagged against him.
“You know,” he said, kissing the top of my head, “it doesn’t matter what’s in front of you as long as you know who’s behind you. And I’m always going to be behind you.”
I smiled into his chest.
“Even when you fail to tell me shit like your ex-husband called you.”
“I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
“Damn right you should have told me.” His voice was crisp, laced with frustration.
I let out a breath, causing my shoulders to slump with it. “Things just seemed to have calmed down, to be going right for once in my life.And I didn’t want to rock the boat.” I raised my head to look into his eyes.
He placed his hand beneath my chin, angling my face up. I watched as the anger melted from his face as he searched my eyes, his jaw slacking, his eyes softening. “Jada, it really bothers me that you didn’t tell me that.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
Cane’s body relaxed as he looked away. “My feelings are hurt. I’m turning into Max,” he said, wincing, making me laugh. “But seriously, are you all right?”
