Page 78 of The One I Love
Paul doesn’t respond, instead finally turning his sights to me. “Hello, Shane. I see you are still holding up your role in the group.”
“Paul.”
The two of us stare each other down. Years of hatred are passing through our eyes, yet every time I see this fucker I only think of one day—the day Amelia left him.
It had been a week since Amelia saw with her own eyes Paul cheating. We all knew it had been happening for years, but she didn’t. And she wouldn’t believe it when we told her.But when we saw him at this very bar that night, we knew it was the straw to break the camel’s back.
She wanted to leave him that night, but she also needed answers. And she had to get her things to be able to leave with the kids. This wasn’t something she could do on a whim, even though all of us offered her places to stay and money to help her get on her feet.
Amelia was too proud for that and refused our help. We ended on the compromise that me, Oliver, and Simon were going to make routine, random check-ins on her. Wes was in season, so he couldn’t come down. But he made sure his mom and brother helped make up for it. We just wanted to make sure she and the kids were okay. And, if and when she was ready to go, we’d be there with the getaway car.
During one of my check-ins, I knew something was off as soon as I pulled into the driveway. Maybe because Paul was home in the middle of the day when he should have been at work. Maybe because I could hear them screaming at each other the second I stepped out of my truck. Maybe because I’ve known for years this day was going to come.
I throwopen Amelia’s door and the first thing I see are suitcases at the doorway. The second thing I see is a lamp flying into the wall.
“Amelia!”
I race down the hall and turn into their living room, where the lamp came flying out of. I see Paul breathing heavy as he stands over Amelia, who looks afraid for her life.
“What the fuck did you do to her?” I storm toward him and grab him by his shirt, dragging him away from her.
“Why are you in my fucking house?”
“What. Did. You. Do. To. Her?”
My grip is getting tighter on his shirt. He has three seconds to answer me before my fist goes into his face. He still has the remnants of the bruise Simon gave him the night we caught him cheating. I’m about to give him one that matches.
“It’s none of your fucking business, Cunningham.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Amelia is my business. She always has been. And she always will be. And after this day, she’s no longer your concern.”
“Ha.” His face goes from scared to calm. Like he suddenly grew a set. “This must make you happy. You’re finally going to get your chance. Just remember that you’re getting my leftovers.”
I punch him so quickly I don’t even realize I did it. Square across the face so he drops to the ground. I stare down at him before I stomp on his chest hard enough I might have cracked a rib.
Ask me if I fucking care. He’s lucky I’m not breaking every bone in his body.
“If you ever, and I mean ever, come for her again, I will end you. That’s not a threat. It’s a promise, do you understand me?”
Paul doesn’t say anything as he rolls on the ground, holding his midsection. My breathing is only getting heavier as I stare at him, wondering if I could actually get away with murder.
“Shane?”
Amelia’s trembling voice pulls me away from all thoughts of ending Paul. I run over to her and pull her off the ground into my arms.
“Shhhh. It’s okay. I’m here.” I pick her up and her arms immediately go around my neck, holding on for dear life. “He’s not going to hurt you anymore. I’ve got you.”
I tookher back to my house after that, where she cried in my arms for hours. In between the tears she told me that he neverhit her, and the lamp flying was the closest it ever came. But she was also convinced that if I was two seconds later, he probably would have. They had a fight about her leaving. He couldn’t believe she was actually going through with it.
Well, she did. And she’s better for it.
“What the fuck are you doing here Paul?” I ask.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m in town to take my kids for a few weeks. I thought a summer vacation would be fun. Figured I could introduce them to the woman who hopefully one day is their stepmom.”
I rack my brain trying to think if Amelia told me this, but she hasn’t said anything. No. This has to be a surprise, because even if somehow Amelia forgot to tell me, I know I would have heard it from Mariah. She would have hadsomethingto say about a vacation with her dad and his new girlfriend.
“Is that so? Does Amelia know this?”
