Page 105 of My Undead Heart
“Mia, it’s not safe.”
My eyes snap back to his, only this time I’m not rattled by their scrutiny. Narrowing my glare, I hold out one hand to stop him from coming any closer. “I’ll be fine. You taught me how to fight, remember?” I stomp outside so angry, so hurt, and so blindsided that I don’t even look back. I try to slam the door behind me but it has one of those self-closing safeties and the bells on the handle jingle softly as it glides shut.
I walk down the street to the twenty-four-hour diner before requesting another Uber. I’m so angry at Matt. For leading me to believe there could be more. For making me feel things. God damn, my chest hurts.
My eyes sting and I’m overcome with the need to cry.
“You okay, sugar?” The waitress at the counter asks because I must look every bit the mess I feel. I’ve also been in this costume, face paint and all, for almost twelve hours now. She looks me up and down. “Coffee?”
I almost do cry because that’s quite possibly the only thing that could make this night, or should I say morning, better. “Yes, thank you.” I glance down at my phone and see my driver’s close. “To go, please?”
“You got it.” She winks and fills a cup. I leave a five on the counter and when she hands over my drink I quickly mix in sugar and cream. My phone buzzes with the alert and I wave to the nice waitress.
“Wait. Let me get your change.”
“Keep it.” I push out the doors just in time to catch my ride back to my apartment. The drive is short. At this hour there’s little traffic. I sip my coffee and try not to count up all the ways tonight went wrong—from witnessing Matt’s assault on his father to our fight at his gym. His fists clenched. All that fury in his eyes. In one furious punch, Matt brought back all my past demons. I’ve never felt unsafe with him before. But tonight ... Tonight when he put his hand through the drywall, my first thought wasWhen will that be me?
I can’t go back to that place again. I can’t be with a man who uses his physical strength to express his wrath. I’m stronger than the girl I was in college. I’m a woman who knows what she wants, and it’s not that.
I know what I need to do.
The driver pulls up to my building, and I thank him as I climb out of the car. With each step forward I’m more resolved than before. I’m done with Matt Haywood. Hell, I’m done with men in general. There’s one thing left, though, before I can put him out of my mind. A deal’s a deal, after all.
After a quick shower to wash off all my makeup, I arm myself with a pot of coffee and my most comfortable sweats. For the next few hours I make the final adjustments, finish the design and publish the changes on South Side’s new website. Before climbing into bed, I send a text to Jared asking for his help and then turn my phone off. I’m spent, exhausted, and have no fucks left to give, but still the tears flow. I thought I was guarding my heart, but somewhere along the way Matt tore down my defenses. If I weren’t so angry with him, I’d admit I was in love.
Sunday I awake to a buzz at my apartment door. My first thought is that is must be Matt, but as soon as I stand up the sleep fades from my mind and I remember everything, including my message to Jared. I grab the manila envelope from my kitchen counter on the way to the door.
“You rang?” He kisses my cheek and steps inside.
“Can you drop these by South Side Gym?” I hold out the envelope that contains Matt’s web hosting logins, along with a set of detailed instructions in case he wants to change what I’ve set up. It’s what I agreed to do for him, but if he can’t figure out how to upkeep things on his own, then that’s no longer my problem. Jared takes the envelope and I turn for a quick second to grab the bag I filled last night. There are only a few things. A toothbrush, a shirt, and the framed picture of Matt and me on our first date—the one from the Zombie Escape Room. I try to hold a smile and shove the bag at Jared. “This too.”
He opens it to glance inside, drops the envelope in the bag, and the moment he sees the photo his shoulders droop. “Mia ...”
“Can you, or not? Preferably before work tomorrow,” I snap.
He glances up and releases a sigh. “I guess I can.”
“Thank you. You can tell him the website is live and working, too. I’m done,” I say matter of factly, as if that’s enough to erase the impact Matt made on my life.
Jared’s lips pinch together. “Matt?”
“Yes, him.”
“Mia, what happened?” He tries to reach for me but I hold up my hand.
“I don’t want to talk about it, okay? Not yet. We were only a stupid bet anyway. I’m done. We’re both moving on.”
“If you say so, but—”
I shake my head. “I do. I say so and there’s no one who can change my mind. Not even Matt Haywood himself, so can we please not talk about this anymore?”
Jared studies me a long moment. He nods and relents. “Okay, Kitten.”
“Thank you, Jared.”
“Want to grab dinner before I make the drop.” He holds up the bag.
I shake my head because I’d rather be alone. “Not tonight.”
