Page 48 of Exes and Oh Hell No

The silence is deafening.

I’m such a fucking idiot.

“What toiletries do you need?”

“Ford. Can we talk about?—”

My head slowly turns to hers, drilling her with my gaze. “Your silence said enough, did it not?”

“I was stunned. I didn’t expect… this.”

She gets up from the bed, moving her wrists.

But there’s no way she’s getting out of those bindings.

“I’ll just go get what I think you’ll need.”

I spin on my heel, heading into her en suite bathroom.

She stomps in behind me. “Damn it, Ford. Stop being so stubborn.”

She stops so close to me that I feel her curves pressing into my side. “You always do this when you’re hurt. You cover it with anger.”

I don’t answer, grabbing her toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss.

“Talk to me, dammit.” Her bound hands grip my arm.

I look at her, knowing she can see the pain in my eyes.

I’m raw and sore, my feelings on full display as I hit her with the force of it.

“You want the truth? I never got over you!”

She blinks rapidly, but not before I see the flood of moisture in her eyes.

“You sure have a funny way of showing it.”

“I let you go because I thought it was the right thing to do. We’d been together forever. All our friends were in my head the second you got drafted, asking if I would give up school and follow you.”

“I never asked you to give up school. And you know I supported whatever you decided. If you wanted to move and transfer, I was supportive. If you wanted to stay here, I understood.”

“I wanted to go with you but couldn’t afford it.” Tears are running down her cheeks.

“I could’ve paid for your expenses. And I would have if you would’ve let me.”

“That’s the problem. I didn’t want to feel like I owed you. And what if something happened? What if…” Her voice breaks as a sob wrangles free. “What if you would’ve found someone better than me?”

I turn to face her, pulling her into my arms. “There’s no one better than you. Not for me.”

Her eyes fly to mine, her pain crushing me.

But I’m helpless.

I don’t know how to boost her self-esteem and make her see that she’s it.

She’s theone.

A wicked seed plants itself into my mind.

---