Page 22 of The Vow Thief
Matt stopped short, still rattled from the confrontation. He turned to Jim, the admission heavy in his voice.“Yeah, okay. I stayed with her for a bit after Sarah kicked me out. I didn’t tell you because I was ashamed of myself, of my weakness. I can’t forgive myself, Jim. I was… stupid.”
Jim lifted both hands, palms out.“Hey, hey. Calm down. It was a mistake. You and Sarah are moving past it. Hell, I hate saying this, but maybe it woke you up. You are fighting with everything you've got for Sarah.”
Matt’s eyes narrowed.“How do you figure that?”
Jim shrugged.“You and Sarah were never overly affectionate before, at least not from what I saw. Now you can’t keep your hands off each other. It’s like you’ve finally remembered why you got married in the first place. This whole thing feels bigger and messier because of the Lily factor, but you’ll get through it. Just…don’t ever lie to me again.”
Matt almost told him the truth, that the handholding and easy smiles were as much for show as they were for survival. But the words stuck. If Jim believed in their marriage, maybe that was one illusion worth keeping alive.“Damn, Jim. I needed that pep talk.”
When Matt got home, the smell of garlic and onions met him at the door. Sarah was at the stove, hair pulled back, stirring a skillet while the kids sat at the island, bantering back and forth about the cops being at the school today. Their voices were light, curious, and completely unaware of the real reason.
The sight of them laughing like nothing had happened nearly undid him. He crossed the room and swept both of them into his arms. Emily squealed and hugged him back.“I just love Dad hugs.”
Tommy grinned.“Dad, you’re wrinkling my shirt.”
Matt laughed, ruffling both of their heads.“I just love seeing my kids when I get home from work.”
He rounded the island and slipped an arm around Sarah’s waist, pressing his lips to her temple.“We’ll talk after the kids go to bed,” he murmured.
She didn’t ask.
Dinner passed with the Bruno Mars playlist filling the silences. Emily sang along, Tommy drummed his hands on the counter in rhythm, and Matt and Sarah each ate a few distracted bites, their appetite dulled by what they weren’t saying.
Afterward, Sarah coaxed Emily into the bath while Matt sat with Tommy at the kitchen table, checking over his math homework. It was the kind of easy, ordinary moment he wanted to protect at all costs.
When bedtime rolled around, Emily hugged him once more, Tommy mumbled goodnight, and the house settled into quiet.
Matt stood in the hallway outside their bedroom, stalling. He hated the gravity of what he had to tell Sarah. He knew exactly how furious she would be.
He took a breath, walked in, and shut the door behind him. Tonight, there was no way to soften the truth.
He sat on the edge of the couch, watching Sarah pull her hair into a loose knot. She turned to him, reading the strain in his expression before he spoke.
“What happened at the jail?”
“I told her it was over. That there is no us, never was. That you are my wife. That I love you. I thought if I said it to her face, maybe she would finally stop.”
Sarah’s brows drew together, her voice sharp but steady.“And?”
“She snapped. Called me every name she could think of. Said I would regret it. She is worse than I imagined, Sarah. She is not in control of herself.”
Sarah stilled, the sheer audacity of it all burning through her.“She went after our children, Matt. That is crossing a line you do not ever come back from.”
He took her hand, his voice low.“I know. And I promise you, I will protect this family. You and the kids come first. Always.”
He squeezed her hand, waiting for her to say something, anything. But Sarah only looked away, her silence carrying more weight than words.
Chapter 11 - The Lily Files
Lily’s cell smelled like stale piss with a hint of bleach. She cried most nights, screamed most days, and now the guards kept her separated from the general population. Thirty more days had been tacked on to her sentence, every one of them earned through outbursts that came without warning.
When her attorney arrived, Lily’s face lit up like a rescue had finally come. She smoothed her hair back, sat up straighter, and tried to look like the picture of wronged elegance.
The attorney set her briefcase on the table and leaned forward.“Lily, we need to talk about your charges.”
Lily gave a dismissive wave.“I know my charges. You’re here to fix them.”
“This is not a traffic ticket. You are still facing that breaking and entering case from two months ago. You will have to sit in front of a judge for that, and the evidence is solid. On top of that, there is the restraining order you violated when you tried to take Matt Taylor’s children from their school. That alone could put you back in here for months.”
