Page 15 of Entangled By You
“You’re still going to do it, though, aren’t you?”
“Fuck, man.” I groan, rubbing my hand across my chin.
“Does she know?”
“Figured you’re less likely to be welcomed with a shotgun if it’s a surprise.”
“This is a terrible idea.”
“I don’t know, Harlow thought it was perfect.”
“Well, she’s a shit stirrer that can’t keep out of other people’s business. Always has been.”
He doesn’t jump down my throat for calling out his wife, which must mean he’s still got some sense about him to know it’s true.
“When?” I ask, dreading the answer I expect to come next.
“Tonight. She’s at work until seven. Probably best if you’re there when she gets home.”
“Fine. If you don’t hear from me by tomorrow, she chose the shotgun option.”
Si laughs and claps me on the shoulder, before finally walking away like he didn’t just completely send my life into a tailspin.
THE UNIVERSE IS DEFINITELY A MAN
LEXI
The streets arepitch black this time of night. I miss the longer days of summer, when I’d get home by seven-twenty and still have a good hour of daylight left. But late January doesn’t give the same pleasures. I can’t even cozy up with a nice fire yet, because it’s still damn near seventy degrees outside. Thank you, Texas.
Today was a whirlwind at work. We’re picking up since everyone has holiday money to spend. Meanwhile, I was reeling about the doctor’s news. It makes more sense now why the nausea hasn’t waned, and I spent half my day trying not to throw up on the sales floor.
That’s only half the battle. I can’t stop replaying Pierce’s face as he hightailed it out of the exam room when the doctor dropped the news. Not that I expected him to stay and play the dotting boyfriend, because he’s not. He won’t ever be because of what I did to us. But we didn’t even get a chance to discuss what we’re going to do about this.
Bright lights glare in my review mirror. It’s so close I can’t make out the make or model because its high beams blind me. Have they been following me?
My stomach dances with anxious energy, the same nausea I’ve been combating all day rears its ugly head, but it’s not baby-related this time.
What if that’s him? What if he’s finally tired of hiding?
My palms grow clammy as I grip the steering wheel and push my foot into the gas pedal. My house is only a couple more minutes away, but if it’s him, he’ll know exactly where I’m going. I don’t want to pull into an empty townhouse, leaving myself open for an attack.
Pushing the call button on the radio, I wait for the tone to give it my command.
“Call, Harlow.”
The system rings throughout the car, and I keep flicking my eyes from the road to my mirror, but the vehicle hasn’t eased off. If anything, it’s accelerated to match my speed. The phone rings and rings, but she doesn’t pick up.
“Dammit, Harlow.”
Ending the call, I pass my street and keep driving North. There’s another cross street I can take to double back if I haven’t lost them by then.
Hitting the dial button again, I try Silas this time. But it’s no different than my first attempt. They’re probably off doing happily married things. That thought quickly fills my head with images I never want to think about again, and I stub the end call button so hard the screen does that weird discoloration thing.
“Fuck!”
Panic creeps up my spine, gripping tight to my limbs that are stiff with a sudden, unhelpful paralysis. My eyes grow blurry as the tears take over, and my view of the street becomes disjointed. I should not be behind the wheel right now, and I certainly shouldn’t be pushing my gas pedal downfurther to get away from the situation. But I don’t know what else to do.
I could just drive around for a bit. Maybe head for Silas and Harlow’s, but what if he runs me off the road before then? In my terrified state, I don’t check the caller ID when the piercing ring sounds through the car’s system.
