Page 122 of Fire for Effect

This was so absurd.

“When will you marry her?” she asked.

“As soon as she’ll let me,” I said, honestly.

“Let me through!” I felt my spine tingle, as the hair on the back of my arm rose. Shit, shit, shit.

“Assuming she doesn’t leave me,” I groaned.

Chapter 36

You’re a Flight Risk

Taz

Insanity was slow to creep into my consciousness. It started with realizing that I was his medical proxy. Then it hit that I had the same rights as a wife. A wife that lived separately from him, of course. But a wife nonetheless.

A wife.

Wife.

Power of Attorney. Keys. Shared vehicles. Medical proxy.

A ring on my finger.

As much as I tried to tell myself that it wasn’t the same as before, that he wasn’t like Heath, and that he wouldn’t magically turn into my ex after we got married… if we got married… I felt that same rising need to move. To hop on my bike, and head down the road until the gas tank ran out, and I was stuck in a place unknown.

Until the wind and the winding road put me in a trance and I forgot who I was. What I was.

What I had been.

I stared into the unflattering bathroom mirror, staring at my bruised face. I wish I was shocked by what I saw, but I wasn’t. Heath had done this to me before, and I had to cover it up with makeup - the only makeup I ever used. Green paste to cover the red swelling. Orange to reduce the look of blue bruising.

That’s what it was like to be a wife.

“Where is he?” A woman’s voice echoed down the hall outside, and my ears pricked up. “I know he’s on this floor. Do you know who I am?”

“Ma’am, please wait here.” That was Noam. What on earth was going on?

“I will not wait here! Do you know who I am? Go downstairs, to the hall. You’ll see my portrait on the wall, right above the sign that said DONOR!”

I splashed water on my face, washed my hands, despite not having used the toilet, but that was what was expected of me. I even flushed the unused toilet just… because.

I knew who was out there. I had never met her, but I didn’t need to.

I walked into the hall, and there she was, designer skirt suit from head to toe, her hair perfectly blow dried, and makeup impeccable. Brett and Noam stood shoulder to shoulder in front of her, keeping her in the lobby area by the elevators.

“I know he’s here. He’s my son! How dare you keep me away from him! I demand to see him…”

She continued that way, appealing to their sense of decency. When that failed, resorting to calling them nothing but brainless muscle.

I skirted along the wall, my head down, my hands held in front of me. Please don’t notice me. Please don’t notice me…

But then she did.

“You! You there!” She called out.

I couldn’t help it. I looked. I made eye contact with her, and her eyes narrowed.

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