“You have my number,” Maddox said in a somber voice as he loosened his hold. “If you ever need anything, you call. Got me?”
She nodded, her mouth open as he turned and stalked back to the car where Jax waited.
“Get in, Hayley,” Silas ordered shortly, galvanizing her into action.
She slid in and shut the door, putting on her seat belt, and then glanced curiously in Silas’s direction. “What on earth was that about?”
His gaze was shuttered, and that sent a shaft of hurt streakingthrough her. Eyes that had always been warm and open to her were now replaced by the cold stare he gave everyone else. The one encased by impenetrable ice.
What in the hell was going on?
Not answering her puzzled inquiry, he pulled into traffic, never once looking her way or speaking to her. Not even asking about her day. Nothing.
Dread settled into her chest. Had something else happened? Had Zander taken a turn for the worse?
“Is Zander all right?” she asked anxiously.
“He’s fine,” Silas snapped.
She shut her mouth, unable to hide her reaction to his coldness. She turned away, not wanting him to see the sudden tears that sprang to her eyes. Okay, so he was having a bad day. She could deal. She just wouldn’t speak to him until he was over whatever was up his ass.
She leaned her head against the window, careful to keep her gaze averted from Silas. She was so lost in her thoughts that several minutes later, she realized they weren’t driving to his apartment. She lifted her head, studying her surroundings in confusion.
“Silas, what’s wrong?” she demanded. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll know when we get there,” came his short response.
Okay, he was seriously pissing her off now. Whatever his problem was, it had nothing to do with her or anything she’d done. How could it have been when she’d been in class all day and hadn’t seen him since she’d arrived at school that morning?
She glared at him, but he never acknowledged her or diverted his gaze from the windshield.
A few minutes later they pulled up to a high-rise building in midtown, and she arched her brow but didn’t bother to speak since Silas was giving her the silent treatment. He merely got out and motioned for her to do the same. He didn’t even touch her as they walked into thebuilding, and each time she moved close to him he purposely distanced himself.
By the time they got into the elevator, she was so pissed she was ready to take his head off. He drummed his fingers impatiently against the rail as they soared upward and she could swear he emitted a sigh of relief when the elevator stopped on the twenty-seventh floor. He got off and left her to follow as he strode down a hallway to a door at the very end. To her surprise he produced a key and inserted it into the lock, opening the door and motioning her in.
As she cautiously entered, her eyes widened when she realized this apartment contained the furnishings from her old apartment she lived in before she moved in with Silas. She turned to look at Silas, confusion clouding her mind.
“Are we moving?” she asked.
“We aren’t moving,” he said icily. “You are. I’ve had all your things moved here. The apartment is in your name and the utilities have been prepaid.”
Panic and heartbreak shattered her attempt at maintaining her composure.
“What?” she whispered. “Silas, I don’t understand. What is wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong,” he said in a bored voice. “We’re done. Finished. Over.”
Utter devastation rendered her motionless. Only her knees and then her hands began to shake in reaction.What?He might as well have been speaking Mandarin for all the sense he was making. Over? No. They had made love this morning and he’d left happy. When they texted during her lunch break, they’d made plans for this weekend. Now it wasover?
“I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong? Silas, just tell me what—” His harsh laugh cut her off.
“My God, Hayley. You can’t be this naïve. Where did you see this going? Marriage, two kids and a minivan in the suburbs? That may bewhat happens in a podunk town in Tennessee, but not here, at least not with me. I wanted you in my bed and I got you there. And you were good, babe, no doubt. But I’m done.”
Babe? The utter condescension in his tone was her complete undoing. He hadn’t once called herprincess. His sweet girl, darling girl or beautiful girl. Justbabe. As if she were some chick he’d once flirted with and then laughed with his friends about later.
Tears welled and ran in rivulets down her cheeks, and she made no effort to hide them or wipe them away.Done?Maybe shewasthat naïve. No, she hadn’t envisioned a minivan in the suburbs, but she had thought she’d spend the rest of her life with this man. As his wife. As his cherished submissive. And now he wasdone?
Finally, the pain and loss bubbled up and found a voice as tears streaked her cheeks. “What iswrongwith you? You’re done, and I have no say in it? Itriedto leave! Itriedand you wouldn’t let me. You told me this was my home, thatyouwere my home. That I didn’t have to be alone anymore. And now you’redone? Was this some kind of fucking game to you? Was I just a game? Why the hell would you refuse to let me leave if you were planning to dump me? Why go through such an elaborate charade, or is it just that no one dares to leave you and you’re the only one allowed to do the dumping?” she asked bitterly.
