Page 27 of Lie for a Lie

Anger flashes in her eyes, and she says nothing before grabbing my phone and sprinting towards her room. I bolt after her immediately, but she manages to lock herself in. I go back down to the kitchen and grab my spare door key. I don’t care what she finds on there. I just don’t want to play her games anymore. This isn’t what I need, and it isn’t working. There is no love here—no foundation for a strong marriage. I need something else. To feel like everything is meant to be. I never wanted to be engaged for almost three years. I never wanted two minutes to feel like it was too long.

Deep down, I am a romantic and have wanted to fix her for so long. I am trying to heal her soul and be everything she needs, but the problem is I am not the guy she needs. Especially since part of me fears I’ve found the girl of my dreams too late.

When I unlock the bedroom door, Katherine stands stone-faced and hands me the phone. No fight left in her. I grab my bags before leaving towards the front door. Once down in my truck, I open the phone’s lock screen, and nothing seems to have been tampered with. I scroll through a few apps and am trying to determine how to proceed.

I know better, though. In time, something will transpire. I am still determining what that might be. I sigh before finally turning over my key in the ignition and heading toward the gym.

Chapter 14

Paige

It is Chris and me at the condo on a Saturday night, and I am reading a new romance novel while Chris is lost in his games. He had text me on his way home from work.

Chris: Paige, are you home?

Me: Yup, what’s up? Chris: I just got off work, and your place is closer. Can I crash? I know Bre is out of town, but we could hang out and make Bre breakfast in the morning.

I just smile because I love the idea.

Me: Sure. I will leave the door unlocked.

When Chris arrived, he had a few pizzas, and we both had invited Seth over to join us.

Seth hasn’t responded to either one of our messages, and we have been falling down the rabbit hole of The Hungry Games, and the night proving to be pretty uneventful. Taking a break before the start of the third movie, I turn my attention towards my phone. Wrap myself in one of the oversized blankets Bre has on the couch.

Two loud knocks sound at the door, and Chris looks at me, confused. I shrug, and he jumps up to answer. Seth comes barreling through our front door, pushing past Chris aggressively, and refuses to meet my stare.

“What the fuck, dude,” Chris says, slightly insulted, as Seth shoves past him again and straight towards me on the couch. I sit up, putting my phone on the coffee table as he barks at me.

“What the fuck happened last night, Paige?”

I freeze because Seth’s heightened emotions make me physically uncomfortable. I don’t understand why he’s reacting like this, so I step toward Chris.

“Do not talk to her like that,” Chris says firmly, eyes fixed on Seth, putting himself between us.

“Oh, of course, you are on her side,” Seth says mockingly to Chris, whose jaw tenses in frustration.

I can feel the confused look on my brow at Seth’s behavior.

“What exactly are you accusing me here of, Seth? We aren’t dating,” I bark from over Chris’s shoulder.

Pain flickers in Seth’s features at my words, and he sighs like he has been holding his breath. He begins to relax visibly before he speaks again, but his tone is almost too calm.

“Did you go out with Graham last night?”

“No, I went to the dinner everyone else bailed on,” I say, not hiding my annoyance.

I didn’t do anything wrong, and frankly, it is none of his damn business if he is going to act like this.

“Oh, so it’s my fault?” Seth asks dramatically.

I can’t help rolling my eyes at his immaturity. This is a side of Seth that I am quickly beginning to dislike.

“What are you talking about? I had dinner and coffee with a mutual friend of ours.”

I don’t need to defend my actions to him.

“Katherine seems to think something more happened. Graham didn’t get home until almost one thirty last night.”

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