Page 109 of Mariposa
He doesn’t face me. He keeps his eyes on the soldiers in front of me.
“It’s Master Sergeant,” he corrects in a cold, distant tone. At first, I don’t think much of it. I do my best not to let it bother me.
“Where were you today?”
“None of your fucking business,” he quips, making me take a step back.
Jesus. I’ve never heard him so angry before.
“Whoa. What’s going on with you?” I step forward, leaning on my toes. I need him to look at me, but he doesn’t. His eyes narrow intimidatingly. This is the first time I’ve experienced Kade radiate pure fury.
“You lied to me. You really know how to make a guy feel special, then tear his fucking heart out.”
What the hell? I swallow my thickening throat. Hurting Kade is the last thing on my mind. It’s not even a thought.
“What are you talking about, Kade?”
“You told Karen about us. Threw our relationship in her face to spite her. She said you’re using me to get ahead.”
Where is this coming from?
“I did not!”
“Liar!” he grits out. “I’m a lot of things. An asshole. A piece of shit. But a liar isn’t one of them, I never took you as one, either,” he rushes out, each word faster than the other.
Trepidation cripples my neck as my upper lip recoils into my bottom one. My whole body grows heavy as the accusations take me by surprise.
“Kade, come on. Please believe me. I’m not using you,” I say, keeping my voice down.
“I’ve known Karen for years. We’re just two broken people lying to ourselves the longer whatever the fuck this is goes on. But it ends right here and right fucking now. I don’t want to see you. I don’t want to hear from you. If it’s not related to work, don’t fucking speak to me. After this mission, we go our separate ways. Do you understand?” he growls, still unable to face me.
A sting hits my eyes as my heart shatters into irretrievable pieces. Kade sounds so terribly broken, even though he was the one who repeatedly told me not to get attached. I know the mission is here, which means he leaves right after.
What the hell did Karen say to him?
“Kade, whatever she told you…she’s?—”
“Did you or did you not tell Karen about the shower incident?”
I narrow my eyes as my heartbeat batters so hard I feel it at the base of my throat. I’m trying to remember every interaction I’ve had with Karen, and the only place I talked to her was at The Drunken Shell. Through gritted teeth, I mutter shamefully, “Yes.”
He tuts, disgusted.
“Listen to me, it’s?—”
“Enough. This was fucked since the beginning, and it’ll be fucked in the end. It’s always been so…fucked,” he rasps, defeated. He pulls on his black gloves, inserting one finger at a time. I glance at his veiny, calloused, rough hands, already missing how they feel on me—wondering if I’ll ever intertwine my fingers with his again.
“What?” he coos with bitter snark, almost mocking how I’m falling apart. “Did you think we would have some type of relationship with a happily ever after? Did you think we would mimic your grandmother’s love story? A girl falls in love with a Green Beret older than her?” His icy stare widens, making my blood freeze.
“Stop it, Kade. I wouldn’t use you. If you would at least let me fucking explain.”
I take a step forward, and he takes one back, making the sting cut deeper.
He laughs, wicked and cruel, making my heart sink further until all I feel is humiliation.
He laughs.
His mask conceals his mysterious expression. I’m dying to see his face because it’ll tell me more than his words. However, his impassive tone tells me all I need to know. The Kade I love to spend time with,my anchor…he’s gone.
