Page 222 of Sins & Secrets

“What if we paid Jacob a visit?”

“You really think that’s the way to go? Like Kat won’t find out?” he asks me, and I grit my teeth.

“What if she goes home? What if you go home? Just be quiet about it. Rent a hotel room and make sure you’re seen there for your tail. But go to her at night and make sure she keeps quiet.”

“Kat can’t keep a secret for shit.”

“She’s talking about going back home anyway. You’re going to need to be there.”

“You think she’d be okay with me just slipping in at night? Maybe if I told her what’s going on. But in and out, coming and going as I please? She’d kill me.”

“Don’t tell her shit. Are you fucking crazy?”

“Lie to her? Kat’s always been able to see right through me. Lying is what made all this worse.”

“I’m not saying lie to her. I’m just saying this is how it has to be. Right now, she needs comfort … She’ll take what you can give her.”

“James thinks you’re with Samantha, so be seen with her, then head over to your place.”

The very idea of being seen with Samantha makes my stomach coil. “You want my wife to hate me?”

“It’s the only real option you have right now,” he says and looks me in the eyes to add, “She’ll never know.”

He’s a fool to think that. She’ll find out. There’s no fucking way I’m going to do that to her. She deserves better than that.

CHAPTER 17

Kat

Ihave to tell Evan about Jake, but he doesn’t want to talk to me.

He’s ignoring me. Intentionally hurting me.

Yet there’s still a sense of obligation. As if I owe it to him to let him know that I’m moving on now. I’ve finally got a grip on my self-respect, but I need him to know it. I roll my eyes at the thought and heave out an aggravated sigh.

I don’t care if it’s weak or pathetic. He was everything to me.

I nearly trip as I realize what I thought.Was.

Is it really over? I struggle to breathe in the cold air as I think maybe a small part of me wants to move on. No, that’s not it. It’s simply accepting that it’s time to move on.

Say something, I’m giving up on you …song lyrics play through my head as my throat dries and I force myself to keep walking up the sidewalk to 82 Brookside. Evan’s family home.

The sad lyrics of the soft song are what keep me from knocking on his door at first. I attempt to compose myself because if Evan doesn’t open this door, or worse, he does but doesn’t hear me out? Then I have no hope left.

I know deep down in my gut, this is my last and final effort.

Say something, I’m giving up on you …and then the melody stops, a feminine voice cutting through. The voice of a woman I recognize. Sadness freezes over, replaced quickly by something … more gruesome.

Samantha.

I hear her laugh and then a muted voice. His voice. She’s in there with him. Shock keeps me paralyzed. I listen a moment longer, denying it at first.

The only movement I can make is to hide my hands in my coat pockets as the winter wind brutalizes me. I thought my heart was already broken. Apparently, it was only torn because at this moment, there’s no denying my heart’s been ripped ruthlessly in half.

I’m numb as I stand in the harsh cold, trying to listen to the faint sounds as I lean my body toward the window to my right. I can barely see her, and I can’t see him at all.

There’s no way I can make out what they’re saying, but I watch her put on her coat.

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