Hell, I don’t have to work today, maybe I’ll sleep all day.
Ty.
My eyes pop open and my hand darts out to the other side of the bed, but…it’s cold.
He’s gone.
Before tears can line my eyes, rage fills my chest.
“That son of a fucking asshole, motherfucking, infected dickhole of a man who thinks he’s so fucking smart and sexy and he goddamn knows it. I’m gonna find him and I’m gonna wring his fucking neck to show him not to mess with me again. What he thinks he can be prince fucking charming and then say ‘oh surprise’ my armor’s dulled with dirt not actually shining. This motherfucker!” I grumble, using all the curse words and feeling slightly like Chevy Chase inChristmas Vacation, I go to sit up, only to feel the bed dip next to me.
“Wow, that was impressive.” He smirks. That perfectly, beautiful annoying ass smirk that I’ve missed so much it hurts.
Silence.
“Thought I’d left?” He smiles, his white teeth shining and his dark eyes full of that teasing, light humor I was so used to.
“Maybe.”
“I’d never do that to you, Roxie. Ever.”
I gesture to the empty spot next to me. “You have to admit, it looked bad.”
“Okay, okay,chica, I’ll give you that,” he chuckles and my heart drops through my stomach.
Chica.Notcariño.
“I have to go to work. Thank you for… Well, thank you, Roxie. I’ll see you atAsheslater?”
I swallow the lump in my throat. I don’t know what I was thinking, but I don’t think it was this. I thought this would either force us back together or rip us further apart.
Maybe this is going to be a new standstill for us. And… I don’t know how to handle it.
I can feel my throat start to close, tears and sobs on the very close horizon. I’m going to fall apart.
“Yeah,” I say shortly, looking down and playing with the edge of my comforter. “I’ll see you there. And thank you, for last night. For saving me.”
“I’ll always save you. No matter what.” The words float between us like a vow and this fucker needs to get out of my house before I cry.
Ty pats my thigh over the covers and leaves.
Just like that.
Like he hadn’t had me bent in fucking half as he pounded into me last night.
Like we were just buddies.
Shaking my head and falling back against the comfy bed that now seems a lot less inviting, I take a deep breath.
If I can’t have him fully, maybe… Maybe I could try to be satisfied with this? Just this.
If I want him, I have to be.
CHAPTER 42
THREE YEARS LATER
29 years old
