Page 46 of Until I Claim You

“I didn’t mean–”

“I don’t care. It’s done.”

Nate takes a step back from me, appraising me from head to toe. His eyes give away his bewilderment.

Because I’m not the woman he knew in California. I’ve changed beyond recognition. I’m getting a grip on reality, fixing my problems. Becoming a boss.

Falling for his dad.

Yeah, I’m different.

As if the universe is playing a trick on me, a flash of Edwin comes out in Nate’s expression.

I almost smile. Because I know Edwin would protect me from this. He’s already done a much better job than Nate at taking care of me in the one month I’ve known him.

“You’ll never be happy if you blame everybody else for the bad things that happen to you, Sonia.” Nate’s surfer boy exterior falls away for the angry bull inside.

Nate might be the go-with-the-flow kind of guy, but I’m not. I believe shit happens for a reason.

And Nate is my reason. So, I’m done.

“I don’t think we have anything else to say to each other.”

“You think I got your dad into something just by–”

My anger flares, calmness exchanged for ire. “I said,don’t talk about him.”

“I won’t take blame for something I had no control over, Sonia.”

It all comes out at once, a terrible scream from the back of my throat.

I reach for something, anything, and my hands land on ametal pot on the counter. I don’t want to hurt him. I just want him gone. I whip the pot to the floor, past his feet.

It clatters, striking my eardrums.

Nate jumps away from me.

“GET OUT!”

If he says anything else, I don’t hear it around the blood pounding in my ears.

As I calm down a bit, moments later, I’m alone.

I drop to the floor, tears cascading down my face.

I’ve lost so much in the past few years. And I have to work so hard to recover the damage.

And Nate… It’s all his fault. I stand by that.

When the tears abate, I lift my chin as a resolve strikes me.

Nate took everything from me. My family, my life, my freedom to do as I please. How is it fair that he takes this as well? I’m done feeling bad about feeling attracted to Edwin on Nate’s account.

Edwin is someone I never counted on. Someone I never knew I needed in my life. And I want Edwin Lyons. I want him so bad.

Taking Nate out of the equation means one of the tall walls preventing me from having my boss just collapsed. And I’m not sure the other wall is strong enough to hold by itself much longer.

11

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