Tears gather in his golden-brown eyes. “Please, Syl. I love you.”
I clamp down on the crazy girl rearing to take control and breathe deeply. “Tomorrow night, eight PM,” I start, and his eyes get hopeful, as if I’m planning a date. “You’ll be out of here by then.”
His jaw tenses. “You can’t seriously think that’s happening.”
I walk past him toward the couch to check on Alexis before heading to the bedroom. She’s still breathing and there’s no blood pooling on the floor. The crazy girl in me pouts a little.
“I’m going to stay in a hotel tonight, but I’ll be back tomorrow,” I say slinging my travel backpack off my shoulder onto the rumpled bed. Great, they were probably fucking here, too. These sheets are definitely getting burned.
“Please, baby, don’t do this to me.” He grips my arm and revulsion rolls through me so deeply I sense I’m losing my mind. Don’t do thisto him? What about what he’s done to me?
I grit my teeth as I barely resist the urge to cover him in sticky, sweet noodles. “Do. Not. Touch me.”
His hand slides away and I swallow back unbidden tears. I willnotcry in front of him.
I unzip my bag and empty the dirty clothes onto the bed. I should set the pad thai down to make this easier, but it feels like my anchor to sanity. I walk to the closet and grab things. I don’t know what I’m stuffing one-handed into my backpack, but I hope some of it is actually wearable.
Jason is dressed in his boxers now, a pleading look pinching the space between his brows. “Don’t go. We can work this out.”
My heart is pounding against my ribs, threatening to jump out and get retribution for how hard it’s breaking. “Is Alexis going to stay and work it out, too?”
“No, she’s…” He sighs. “I was just lonely, and she was here.”
“That makes itsomuch better,” I snap, my voice a low growl.
“You’re never here,” he shouts.
“Because I’m working to take care of us!”
The pad thai bag crinkles in my clenched fist.
Jason’s face takes on an unnatural calm. “If it was about taking care of me, you would’ve sold your business by now. You’ve gotten enough offers. You’re just obsessed with work.”
I want to tell him that Ididsell my business. That I’m home early with celebratory Thai food because I wanted to surprise him with the news.
And now, I want to throw it in his faceso much. The food, too.
I zip my bag and sling it over my shoulder. “Eight PM, Jason. Be gone, or I’ll call the cops.”
He follows after me, shouting variations of my name and pet names, but I tune him out. Alexis stirs on the ground as I walk by, rubbing the back of her head with a groan.
“I emailed you the expense report for changing my flight,” I say to her. “Guess you didn’t get it in time.”
She wraps an arm over her chest as tears stream down her face. Her lip trembles, but she doesn’t say anything. The sight ofher tears threatens to unleash mine, so I turn away and snatch my keys from the end table.
“Eight PM, Jason!” I yell into the apartment before slamming the door.
What if he comes after me? Chases me down the hall and corners me in the elevator? What if he keeps talking and I give in, letting him worm back into my heart?
I run for the stairs, not giving a shit if it’s seven flights. I just need to move, get all this out of me and get away from him. Get away from my stupidity. How long have they been doing this? How blind could I have been?
The door to the lobby swings open and I take off into the warm, humid streets. My legs keep pumping as my mind, now a vacant, hollow place, checks out completely. I get on the subway, and get off, trudging up the steps to…
My office.
Am Iobsessed with work?
I use my key fob to get into the tall, black building and walk toward the elevator. The lobby is manned by a security guard who greets me by name. I give him a nod, keeping my face curtained by my straightened dark hair.
