Page 71 of Devotion

I step back and attempt to shut the door in his face, but he stops it with his foot.

“Just admit it, Layla. Admit that you’ve been fucking that guy behind my back this whole time, and I’ll drop this shit.”

I nearly laugh in his face.

The fucking nerve.

“Go. Go before this gets ugly, and we make things evenmoreawkward for ourselves at work.”

I shove his chest, but it hardly moves him. Instead of heading back down the steps, he pushes his way inside the apartment, searching for evidence like he’s my father or something.

“He was here, wasn’t he? You fucked him tonight?”

There’s no suppressing the eye roll his question has drawn out of me. “Don’t you just want to be done with this? Don’t you just want to move on?”

He blinks at me like he doesn’t understand what I’m saying. Then, his eyes shift back to my bed, and I’m guessing he’s imagining Damien and I doing unholy things there. Things that may or may not have actually taken place.

“Wanna know what the real fucked up part is?” Martinez scoffs, finally bringing his eyes back to mine. “It’s that you don’t even realize you got played.”

Another eye roll. This time, I double down by laughing.

“You can think that shit’s funny all you want, but it’s the fucking truth,” he seethes. “Didn’t you ever wonder why I never took you seriously? Didn’t you wonder why I wanted to keep it a secret that I was screwing you?”

“Not really, but I get the feeling you’re about to tell me anyway.”

“Damn right, I am. You should know that this fucking pretty-boy asshole you’re with won’t take you seriously either. At least, he won’t once he finds out the truth about you.”

I cross both arms over my chest. “The truth?”

“That you’re a fucking psycho, Layla. You think I haven’t seen your pills? You think I haven’t looked up what that shit’s for?” he adds, shaking his head as a smile ghosts on his lips. “All you ever were to me was a piece of easy ass. I couldneverhave a nutcase like you around my kid. Andthat’sthe truth.”

I’m silent, feeling the fight drain right out of my body as words kids taunted me with when I was younger echo inside my head. I hide that it stings, though. Hide that my throat is suddenly thick with bile as I hold back tears.

“So, let me get this straight,” I sigh. “You want nothing to do with me, I’m crazy, and yet… you’re the one standing atmydoor in the middle of the night? If you ask me, you’re here becauseyoursensitive ass needs closure, but you’re too much of a bitch to admit it.”

He takes a step forward, and I take one back, maintaining my hard expression despite worrying that he might actually resort to violence. I’m reminded of how he grabbed my arm in the parking lot when we argued, reminded of the pain that lingered for days afterward. Before then, I wouldn’t have pegged him as the type, but now I’m not entirely sure what to expect from him. Especially since he’s clearly had a few.

“Get the fuck out of here before I call 9-1-1 and ruin yourfuckingcareer.”

He stares me down, his shoulders heaving with rage, but he’s not a fool. Well, not a fool who’d risk losing his job, anyway.

Still, he leans in to whisper one last thing. “One of these days, you’re gonna push me so far the consequences won’t even matter,” he says. “Whatever happens to me after that, it’ll befuckingworth it.”

There’s so much hatred in his eyes when he backs away. They seem darker than I’ve ever seen them before, making his threat that much more bone-chilling. I don’t let out a breath until he turns and leaves, prompting me to quickly close and lock the door behind him. Then, I move to the window, watching as he storms out to his car, looking more sober than when he first showed up to bring his usual brand of negativity into my life, but at least he’s gone.

For now.

His words play on repeat as he burns rubber peeling out of the driveway, not caring in the least if he wakes my father, but a quick glance toward his bedroom window proves it’s already too late for that. Dad’s standing there, having likely heard Martinez and I shouting at each other.

Annoyed and concerned, I close the blinds and toss myself back onto the bed. I’d love to think this is the end of my ill-fated involvement with Diego, but something tells me he’s only getting warmed up.

26

Layla

There was already a meeting scheduled for today, but moving it up two hours is my doing. The latest item I’ve added to the agenda can’t be put off.

Not after what I witnessed last night.

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