Page 31 of There's No Us Without You
Exactly. That sounds like the best distraction if I ever heard one.
Besides, I don’t really want to be alone right now.
Half an hour later,Emerson pulls his Jeep up in front of Kent’s house and shuts the engine off. It’s quiet as we both stare up at the large architecturally designed two-storey house with its expanse of windows and oversized double timber door—the same one that cost ten thousand dollars.
I don’t miss this house. Or Kent. It’s not my home, and even when I lived here, it never felt like I belonged.
What does that say about me? After three years of being in a relationship with someone, all I feel is relief I’m no longer tied to him.
Maybe I’m destined to be exactly like my mother—a heartless bitch.
“Do you want me to come in with you?” Emerson says, bringing my attention back inside the car.
A slight frown on his face has me taking his hand and tracing the veins with my index finger. “No, that’s okay,” I say, loving the warmth of his hand in mine. “I need to do this on my own.”
“I’m here if you need me to fuck him up.” A sly grin lifts the corners of his lips as he wiggles his eyebrows.
I scrunch my nose up and pinch his cheek. “Such a gentleman,” I say, before climbing out of the car.
I’ve got this.
My legs are heavy as I drag my feet up the paved sandstone pathway to the front of the house. Before I can lift my hand to knock, the door flies open, and I’m sent stumbling backwards until Kent reaches for me.
There’s no time to punch him in the face when he grabs hold of my shoulders and crushes me to his chest. “Thank god, Eden,” he says against the top of my head. “I was worried about you.Babe, I’m so sorry. I know I should have called, but I wanted to give you some space.”
Worried? What a load of shit.
I shrug out of his arms and step back, putting my hand up to gain some distance. “I’m just here to get my things, Kent.”
He narrows his eyes while having the audacity to seem shocked. “What?”
“I just... want my belongings. I’m allowed to take what I paid for.”
Kent folds his arms over his chest before nodding at Emerson’s black Jeep parked in the street. “Who’s that?”
“None of your business,” I say, lifting my chin. “I’m not here to fight. Let me get my things and I’ll be out of your way.”
“So that’s it, then? We aren’t going to talk about what happened?”
“Talk about what happened? I caught you screwing my mother. On. Our. Wedding. Day.”
He flinches and rubs the back of his neck. “That was a mistake. I was just—I don’t know, scared or something.”
“Or something?” With a shake of my head, my body tenses as if preparing for a fight. “Were you scared every other time you stuck your dick inside her?”
Kent’s face pales, and he swallows hard, his eyes widening. “She... she told you?”
So itistrue. Should have believed the look on my mother’s face when I asked her yesterday, but at least now I have confirmation.
I huff out a laugh and rub my forehead as I stare up at the bright, cloudless sky. “She didn’t have to,” I say. “You just did.”
“What? Wait—that’s not fair.” Kent grabs my wrist. “You tricked me.” He blows out a breath and pushes his hair from his face. “Can you at least think about giving me a second chance?”
Not on your life, buddy.
I snatch my wrist from his grip and rub it instinctively. “Just give me some time, then maybe we can talk.”
I don’t know what else to say. If it gets him off my back, then I’ll lie through my teeth. All I want is to get my stuff and not have to look at his traitorous face any longer.
