Page 77 of Untamed

“And when he didn’t...” Oliver pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled. “You’ve been a moping mess, fucking glooming around the property, because you asked for space and haven’t told him you’re done thinking?”

“Well. When you put it that way.” She felt like an idiot. A stubborn idiot.

“This is a pity party of your own making, and I’m not here for it. He deserves better. You deserve better. Just fucking call him. Text him. Telegram. Something.”

“What if he doesn’t answer?”

“Leave a message?” he snapped back. “Les. Get over yourself. Jesus. What happened to you?”

“Fuck if I know!” she ground out. “Fine.” She grabbed her phone and tapped out a quick message, hitting send before she changed her mind. “There.”

“Feel better?”

“No.” She stood. “I need to go wash my hands and we need to get back to work.”

“I’ll pay and meet you outside.”

Before she walked away, Oliver grabbed her wrist. “So you know, I like the two of you together. You’re both better with each other, too.”

Lesley smiled and walked to the bathroom.

She looked at herself in the mirror while she soaped her hands. She hated when Oli was right, though she realized she’d screwed up well before lunch. If she didn’t hear from him—no, she wouldn’t think of that right now. She tossed the paper towel in the trash and opened the door. And froze when a familiar voice drifted from around the corner.

Antony. And another voice. Victoria? Her heart sank. What the hell was going on?

“Enough, Vicky,” Antony was saying. “I’ve had enough of this shit. Stop. Following. Me.”

“But darling,” she whined. “I will not stop until you give me a chance to talk with you.”

“You’re not whole anymore,” he said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Victoria.

Lesley frowned and remained still.

“Don’t you remember, dearest?” His voice was as cold, his words clipped and acidic. She shivered.

At that moment, a short tone sounded. He had just gotten her text.

Silence.

“Those were the last words you said to me when I was laying in the hospital bed. You know, when you dumped me right after the worst time in my life.” Antony’s voice was venom, and Lesley shuddered.

Victoria gave a nervous laugh. “I was in over my head. I was scared and didn’t know how to help!”

“Really? Running off with the guy you’d been shacking up with was so spur of the moment.”

There was silence. Lesley stayed put, almost afraid to breathe, lest she be discovered.

“How far you’ve fallen,” Antony said. “You really need help, Vicky, and I’m not the one to give it to you. You need rehab.”

“I’m not on anything!”

He snorted. “Right. You’re skinny. Your hair is dull, your eyes are glassy, and they’re darting all over the place. It looks like you’ve gotten yourself into some serious trouble, Vicky. Problem for you is that you’ve come to me, and I’m not going to deal with you how you want. We’re done. We’ve been done. We will never be again. How could you possibly think that anything would ever happen after what you did to me?”

“I’ve apologized for all of that!” she cried. Her voice was shrill and edgy. She was on the verge of cracking.

“Nah. Except you really haven’t. Why else would you be following me everywhere? Why did you slash my tires and fuck with Lesley’s car?”

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