As I went to pivot around him, Owen stepped in my way again. He didn’t touch me though. As soon as I stopped, the stupid moron thought it was his in to tell me about his sordid love affair with my ex-friend.

“Everly and I… We—”

I screamed. Until my lungs were strained and my throat tore apart, I screamed. Hearing him say her name made my gut turn. It made me so fucking sick.

The high-pitched screech came to a halt as I concentrated on regaining my breath. “Don’t ever speak her name in front of me again. Better yet, you don’t ever speak to me again. Don’t touch me, don’t look at me. From now on, you don’t exist.”

I could see the terror in his eyes, the fear setting in as he tried and failed to placate me. That new, unhinged version of his wife he had never met.

Welcome to my alter ego, asshole. The scorned, heartbroken wife who will fucking destroy you. Yet, he still harped on with his shit.

“You’re not leaving until we talk this out. I’m not losing you over this.”

Fed up, I decided if he wasn’t going to let me go, I would bulldoze straight through him. I shoved with all my might, pitching a hard shoulder into his torso.

Get the fuck out of my way.

And you know what that cheating bastard did? He thought he would restrain me, hold my wrists to prevent them from pummelling into his chest. When that started, I’m not sure, but it felt good. So I continued to throw hands—punching, slapping, scratching.

I tried to inflict the same pain that was festering in my veins, in the very marrow of my bones. Unbearable, crippling pain.

The assault didn’t stop until he was squeezing my wrists so hard they felt like they were going to fracture.

Our chests heaved as we shared breath. I’d rather be oxygen-deprived than share the same air as him. I’d rather my skin peel off than have his touch.

“You’re going to hurt yourself,” he said, his voice choked with sadness.

Leave. Escape.

I tried to twist out of his hold, but he wouldn’t relent. I wasn’t stupid. I knew how much his physical strength outweighed my own. Still, I couldn’t help but try. And for the first time since the newfound revelation, I stared him dead in the eyes and let him see the internal shift inside me. Watch, motherfucker, and see what you have done.

His fingers inadvertently tightened on my bruising wrists, and I whimpered. “Break them. Everything else I have, you broke.”

Owen stumbled back, dropping his hold immediately, horror freshly painted over his face.

“I will give you time. But we’re going to talk, Alexis. I’m going to fix this.”