He was worried? Hadn’t he been the one to make me run? How had I not seen it sooner? For years I’d been blind to who he was. “As you can see, I’m fine, Easton. What do you need?”

He rubbed the end of his nose. “Yeah, I can see you’re fine. Is something wrong with your phone? I tried calling it, but it just goes straight to voicemail.”

“Yeah, I’m not really using that one right now. I only keep it on for emergencies. I have a local phone.”

There was a beat of silence. “Oh, well, are you going to give me the number?”

“No, Easton, I’m not.”

He sighed. “You're still mad about what happened?” He sighed. “Fuck, Abbie, I said I was sorry.”

He was sorry? “Easton, do you remember the time I did that all-girls night with my sisters for the bachelorette party? Do you remember the lesson you taught me about not answering your calls quickly enough?” The numbness spread as I spoke. “It was the first time you put your hands on me. It should have been the last. Or what about the time I told you I didn’t want your poker buddies at the house because I had to study? You broke my tooth. I was dumb enough to listen to your pathetic apologies then. I’m not interested in hearing them now.”

His brows furrowed. “Okay, I have a temper. I know. Sometimes, I just… you just… I never meant for it to get out of hand. I’m sorry. We can go to couple’s therapy. I’ll even go to anger management classes. Anything you want. Just come home. I’m tired of us being separated.”

I shook my head. “We’re not separated, Easton. We’re over. I’m not the same girl I was a couple of months ago. I know better. Not to mention, you seem to forget you lied to me.”

Now he clasped his hands over his face. “Abbie, I’m serious. I’ll do whatever it takes to show you I can change. Just don’t give up on me. I’ll… I’ll come to London.”

Time slowed as I registered what he’d just said. My skin grew clammy at the thought of him in my sanctuary. There was no way I was going to let that happen. “I don’t want you here. I think I was pretty clear about never wanting to see you again.”

He frowned. “What? You can’t mean that. You just need some time to cool off.”

In that moment, I saw the truth. I’d been lucky to escape with my life. “No, I don’t. I meant what I said. We’re over. I never want to see you again. Don’t call me.”