Page 109 of The Way We Win

“How did I come to you?” My tone is cynical. “Tell me how I did that when my car is in Newhope.”

“This is your car.” He motions to the Malibu, and I frown.

“This isn’t my car.”

“I rented it in your name in Daphne.”

My back straightens, and I struggle to scoot around in my chair. “How the hell did you do that without my permission?”

“You never changed your name.” He looks at me like I’m the dumb one. “Your name is still Allie Sinclair, and I still have our marriage license.”

My jaw drops, and I have no words. It never occurred to me he could possibly do something like this, but we are in Small-town, USA, where everybody trusts everybody.

It doesn’t hurt that this asshole can be a charming motherfucker when he puts his mind to it. Who knows what all he could get away with?

“I have to say, not changing your name feels like a not-so-subtle hint you still want to be my wife.”

That does it.

“I donotwant to be your wife. I wouldn’t be your wife if you paid me a million dollars. Hell, I wouldn’t be your wife for a billion dollars. I didn’t change my name because of Austin.”

“Methinks she doth protest too much.” He smirks, rolling his eyes.

I’m so angry my face is hot. “I didn’t change it so Austin and I would have the same last name. If I could change his last name, I would.”

I’d change it to a name like Bradford. I’d change it to thename of the best man I know. My throat thickens, and I inhale a shaky breath.

Thinking of Jack is the one thing that could bring me to tears, and I can’t break down. The last thing I want to do is show any sign of weakness.

“I’ve been watching my boy play football.” He pulls out another cigarette and taps it against the back of his hand before slipping it between his lips. “It’s how I found you.”

“Wha…” My chest quivers at the thought. “Have you been coming to the games?”

“Nah, they got the highlight reels on TV.” He lights the cigarette, taking a deep inhale before blowing the smoke in the direction of that crack in the window. “He sure is talented. He must take after his old man.”

He is nothing like you, I don’t say out loud. No point poking this unpredictable bear.

“Once you clear my name, I plan to be at all his games.”

“That’s a switch.” I look out the window at the dark waters. “You never cared about being a father to him before.”

“That’s not how you felt when we got married.”

“I married you because I was young and stupid. I thought I had to make it work. Now I know better. Now I know what a real father looks like.”

“Like that coach you’re fucking?”

“That coach I’m fucking is ten billion times a better father than you.” My eyes flash, and I snap. “You’re never going anywhere near Austin. You’ll never drag him down to your level, because I’ll never clear your name.”

His hand shoots out, and he grabs my face in a grip that makes my eyes water. “I told you, I’m not going back there.”

He shoves me so hard, my head bounces off the glass window, and I see stars. Pain radiates through my skull, but dread filters through my veins when he pulls out a gun.

“They’ll have to kill me first.”

“Don’t do anything stupid, Rip.” My voice is quiet now,careful. “Just let me out, and you can go anywhere. Keep driving. Go to Mexico and hide out. They’ll never find you there, and you can live like a king.”

“Youdon’t do anything stupid,” he snarls. “You’d better start getting your story straight, or it’ll be the last thing you do.”

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