Page 145 of Affair
“Tommy, we had fun. We had a good time. We weren’t meant to be married. We kept pushing it back, and…”
He stopped him.
“Because of Ethan. He’s always been the obstacle between us,” Tommy said.
Gene wasn’t having it.
The man he loved wasn’t going to be used as an excuse. If this was on anyone, it was on him.
And only him.
“No, he’s always been my soulmate, Tommy. Marrying you wouldn’t have lasted. My heart knew who it loved, and while I had love for you, I wasn’t in love with you. I can see that now. That’s why because I did have love for you, I’m going to beg you to stop your bullshit. It is going to get you killed.”
Tears filled Tommy’s eyes.
He couldn’t believe this.
The man was staring right in his eyes, and saying the most difficult words he’d ever heard.
“You didn’t love me? I loved you. I gave up everything for you.”
Gene was to the point.
“Love doesn’t keep score. When I left Ethan behind, it was the biggest mistake of my life. When I lost Preston, it wasbecause I was on the wrong path. I was able to right the journey, Tommy. What we had was special, and fun, but it wasn’t forever. I can’t be what you need. I can’t be that man, and you have to let me go.”
A single tear dripped down his cheek.
“So you really don’t love me anymore?” he asked.
He shook his head.
“I’ve moved on. Ethan and I have a child together that we adopted. We are going to get married soon. I’m sorry it didn’t work out, but…”
At that admission, he didn’t get to finish.
Tommy punched him in the face.
HARD.
It rocked Gene back, caught off-guard.
“HEY!”Elizabeth said, and when he turned on her, and went to punch her, Gene got to him first and put him down on the ground so fast, that even Elizabeth was caught off-guard.
Normally, she could hold her own, but she didn’t even get to move.
Gene handled it.
From the look on Tommy’s face, it was clear that he didn’t see it coming, either.
The much bigger man kept him pressed to the concrete floor with his hand around his throat, and his knee on his chest.
That’s when his voice went cold and empty.
And he warned him.
“I don’t give a shit if you punch me, Tommy, but you willNOTtouch Elizabeth. She’s my family, and I love her. This is exactly how I knew it wouldn’t work. You’re more than willing to hit me when I’ve never done that to you. You’re out of fucking control. First it was to control who I saw, where I went, and the job I held. You needed to be in charge of my life, and I am notanyone’s to control. I’m my own person, and I make my own choices.”
He pushed off of him, and stepped back.
