Chapters (44)
Victor had felt certain about his actions as he left that bar on Saturday. He had believed her. Believed that they could make their relationship work this time. He’d been so sure that this was their happy ending delayed. But now…
Now, there was only one more thing he had to know.
“Do you love him?” he asked her.
This question she answered out loud, her voice quiet but hard. “No, I liked him. And from what life has shown me so far, like is way better than love.”
They stood there, that truth resonating between them as violent as a spray of bullets.
There were a thousand things he could sign in reply. A thousand punishments he could mete out right then and there.
But in the end, he strode forward toward the door.
Mistaking his intention, she immediately scrambled away. Apparently, she was not nearly as confident that he wouldn’t hurt her as she’d assured Asher.
He could no longer be surprised. The new trust they had been building up over the last few weeks—the one he’d felt as he walked out of that meeting with Kuang—had only been an illusion.
Perhaps it surprised her when he simply walked out of the house. He wouldn’t know.
Because for the first time when he left her, he didn’t look back.
PART VI
Is that…?
32
DAWN
Victor left. Without another word. Without looking back.
And, just like that, the illusion we’d created over the last few weeks had shattered.
Two more security guards arrived to supplement Wayne after he left. One was stationed at the door, and the other patrolled the neighborhood. I wasn’t sure if they were there to ensure that I didn’t get out or that no other guys—specifically Asher—got in. Either way, it was overkill. And it made me feel even more imprisoned than I had over the past nine years.
That was probably the point.
What happened wasn’t necessarily Asher’s fault. My peace with Victor had been fragile from the start of our new agreement. Any old thing could’ve torn it apart. A guy. A misunderstanding. A gust of wind.
Still, when Asher tried to talk to me the next day at school, I made my feelings perfectly clear. “I don’t want to go out with you. It doesn’t matter what’s going on between Victor and me. I don’t feel the same way. And you were out of line last night.”
“Is this you saying this or your husband?” He demanded with a combative look. As if Victor was the only one to blame for our non-start.