Page 195 of Unleashed

I inhale a deep breath, but it burns. “She ended our marriage.”

“A fake marriage. Your point?” He grips the doorframe like it’ll stop him from killing me.

My voice slips in and out of a whisper. “God. It wasn’t fake. I wanted it.”

“Why?” That simple question has no simple answer. I squeeze my eyes shut, unable to answer. Wilder yells, “If you wanted more, you sure in the hell didn’t show it! You ripped out her goddamn heart!” Holy fuck. The tables have turned from that day at Chimborazo when he begged me to help him win back Hadley after she walked in on Cara sucking his dick. Almost word for word. Karma doesn’t fucking play. “Yesterday, you decimated her!”

Struggling, I accept the dumbfuck hand I dealt myself and screech what he did that day in the park, “I was scared! I’m sorry!”

“Then fix this, Rodwell!” He throws more of my own words back at me. What a sharp douchebag. I’ll give him that. So, I go along with it.

“I’m trying!”

“You’re doing it wrong!”

I shake my head and grit my teeth. “I fucking helped you!”

He nods. “To get Hadley back. The woman I love and would die for. She had been my girlfriend for three years! What do you have with Simone? Sex? My sister is not some cheap whore!” The fury on his face short-circuits, and he slams the side of his fist onto the door and flinches. His eyes water, and he turns to look inside the house. I underestimated how much Wilder loves Simone. How could he not? No one has a valid reason to hate her. She’s one of those people who makes friends just by entering a room. I can’t underscore enough how stupid I am.

I glare up at Wilder. “No.” I slam my head back against the railing. It vibrates my hungover brain, but nothing hurts more than my chest.

Wilder shakes his head as he watches me spin out. “Let’s get this straight for the record. You hate Simone—”

I close my eyes. My hoarse voice struggles to reach a breathless whisper. “I don’t fucking hate your sister.”

“Really? You offered to marry Simone because of Marc. You got hitched, and shortly after, she decided it wasn’t right and annulled the marriage, wounding your pride. Since then, you’ve treated her like dog shit. But when Marc appeared, you’re all in to help her fake it again. Yesterday, you humiliated her in front of the team by airing news that you’re fucking another woman. Did I get everything?”

Tears fill my eyes as I stammer, “I-It’s more complicated than that.” What the hell is wrong with me?

“I’m a journalist. Do tell.”

I grind my teeth as I fight the urge to pop off at him. I know he enjoys it, but my misery is done with his company. Neverthefuckingless, I can’t help the tears running down my face. “You want me to gut myself right here?”

Wilder shrugs and crosses his arms. “I’ve got time.” Fucker.

Frustrated, I look toward the street and the driveway for an escape. But I need to do this. Looking back up at Wilder, I growl, “I’m goddamn lost without Simone Garrison!”

“Simpson,” Wilder corrects me. “You’re off to a roaring start, getting her name wrong.”

“It was Rodwell,” I seethe between my teeth.

“The ink never dried.” He checks his watch and slides his right hand into his two-toned, obnoxious hair. “My wife will be home soon. Anything else you want to throw at the wall to see if it sticks?” Wilder then cocks an eyebrow at me, and I want to set it on fire.

I glare at the railing across me while he glares at my face. How in the fuck do I handle this? I’m at his mercy, but he enjoys me begging for it. As I did with him, but it still sucks.

He presses, “Nothing? You’re just going to sit there? Rhonda quit the team yesterday. Did you do something to her too?” Clenching my teeth hurts my head, but I don’t take the bait. “Well, this has been a gigantic waste of my time. You’re bitching to the wrong Wilder about this. Hadley has way more patience and tolerance for you than me. God knows why. Have a fantastic day.”

Wilder moves to shut the door, and I jump up. “Wait!”

He steps away to peer into the living room to probably check on Finley. He then returns to the doorway. “What?”

Unable to stop, my eyes swim in more tears. Karma is a motherfucker. I shake my head as sobs wrack me, and I drop to my knees. They pound the cement, and the pain is sharp, but I don’t care. “I’m so damn confused. I don’t know if I’ve ever been in love for real. Okay? So laugh now. All I know is that a part of me is dying.”

He grips the door and cocks his head as his gaze changes from doubtful to curious. “Go on.” I didn’t think I’d get this far.

“I have feelings for Simone, but I’m often wrong.”

Wilder shakes his head. “And you’re going to be a lawyer. Fuck. Your lack of confidence needs an overhaul.”

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