Page 96 of Hey Jude

“Unsafe? What’ve I done that’s unsafe?” He looks genuinely confused.

I let loose an exasperated breath. I hate him. “Um, harassing me when I kept begging you to stop, for one. Stalking me? Stalking Wyatt to find me?” My brow knits together in a deep glare, my jaw hanging open at his willful ignorance. I’m baffled that I even have to explain this.

“Stalking? Are you kidding me?” He scoffs as he looks away, wiping a hand down his jaw.

I widen my eyes to show I am deadly serious. “What the fuck did you think this would accomplish?” I can’t believe he’s got his head so far up his own ass that he doesn’t get it.

“What other choice did I have?” He throws his arms out at his sides. “You wouldn’t fucking listen to me!”

“Because the answer is fucking no, Sean. It’s you who isn’t listening.”

He puts his hands on his hips and turns to pace the entryway, shaking his head.

“I told you I was with someone else, anyway.” I neglect to mention this drama with Sean has put an end to that.

“Don’t.” He stops in his tracks, lifting his chin like I’ve hurt his pride.

I don’t care.

“What do you mean, ‘don’t’? How else can I make you see it’s over?” I throw my arms out at my sides in frustration. “Why can’t you just accept that I’ve moved on?” My voice is getting louder as my anger takes over.

“No, you haven’t.” He smiles ruefully and shakes his head. “I don’t believe you. There’s no other guy.”

“Yes, there is. And he’s incredible. And he would never treat me like this.” There’s fire in my eyes as I needle him with the comparison.

“Fuck!” Sean shouts, grabbing his head with both hands, like he can’t bear to imagine me with anyone else.

I’m beyond caring about his feelings. I will hit him where it hurts if I have to. “You need to leave.” I point at the road.

People on the sidewalk nearby are stopping to watch us. Some are whispering.

“Why would you do this?” Sean asks with a sneer.

“We’re done, we’ve been done, and even if we hadn’t? You’d have put a nail in that fucking coffin with this shit, Sean.” I cup my hands around my mouth. “Go home,” I say, projecting my voice in a loud monotone as if that’ll help get the message through.

“You can’t do this to me.” When I don’t respond, he gets louder. “I said you can’t fucking do this to me!”

I flinch as his face comes closer to mine, his eyes bulging in anger in a way I’ve never seen. I don’t recognize the man I used to live with.

Wyatt opens the door behind me. “Sean! Fuck off! Leave her alone!”

Glancing at Wyatt, Sean breathes hard in his rage. He looks back at me once more, stepping closer still, his jaw clenching as he reins himself in. He keeps his voice low, seething with righteous anger. “I won’t let you leave me. I’m gonna fucking make you see we belong together. You”—he places a fingertip on my sternum and I flinch—“belong to me and no one else.”

I quickly swat his hand away as Wyatt comes up beside me.

Sean glances at him, then turns and stalks out of the entryway.

The gathered onlookers move aside to give him a wide berth as he turns down the sidewalk, disappearing from view.

My hands are shaking. Wyatt touches my shoulder. I turn to him and he searches my eyes. He sees the tears welling up and moves to give me a hug.

“No.” I back up a step as I brush him off. “I don’t want a hug. I don’t want to cry anymore.” Balling my hands into fists at my sides, I pace in the entryway in front of him. “I’m sick of this bullshit.”

Wyatt watches me with an empathetic crease in his brow.

I stop, turning back to him, my anger burning. “I’m sick of being afraid all the time!” A tear spills down my cheek.

He only nods.

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