Page 60 of The Ruthless and the Strong

“Sam. Go to sleep. You’re drunk.”

“No, I’m not. I’m clearheaded. I think for the first time in my life, I am thinking with a clear head, and I’ve come to the solution that you’re a real bitch.”

“Okay. Okay. Now go sleep it off,” I said gently.

But he went on, as if he didn’t hear me. “You don’t want to guess what I’m doing, so let me tell you. I’m fucking some random girl I picked up at the bar—in our marriage bed.”

“Sam.”

He let out another laugh, only there was nothing humorous about this one. Even on the phone, I could hear his pain. “It only seems fair, since you’ve been fucking the same man for the entire six years of our marriage in our bed.”

“I have never cheated on you,” I said firmly.

“No? Maybe not physically, but you’ve cheated on me every day with your heart and your mind. You could never forget about him, even when I tried so fucking hard to make you happy. Why, Lizzie? Why? Can’t you see how badly you’ve hurt me, baby?”

My lips trembled and tears sprang to my eyes. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

He breathed heavily, then he laughed once more. I jumped from the unexpected sound. “You’re a bitch and we both know it. I am so much better without you in my life.”

The line went dead then.

“I know,” I said to the empty room. I turned a good man bitter. I knew that. I had witnessed the change in him myself. I should have let him go long before I did. Had I been brave, I would have. But I didn’t. I deserved everything he was calling me now. I deserved it all. If only it didn’t hurt me so much to hear it.

I didn’t know what to do anymore.

I had thought moving back home would make me happy, but I wasn’t happy now.

Admittedly, I had moved back home because of Max. Because I had missed him every day I was away from him. Because I had thought about the kiss he had given me on my wedding day, and because no matter what I had done, I still couldn’t forget about him.

And he was ignoring me.

I didn’t know what I had done for him to ignore me, especially since he had given me two kisses since I’d been back, confusing the fuck out of me.

Now, I was just angry.

So angry.

I unlocked my phone and sent a quick message to Olivia to let her know I was going out, and for her to keep an eye on Hunter in case he woke, though I doubted he would. Then I moved. I had only one clear destination in my mind, and I didn’t want to be deterred from it.

I moved out the house quickly, crossed over the yard, and stumbled onto Max’s porch. The I rang the doorbell three times in quick succession before pounding my fist on the wooden door.

“Max! Open up! Max!”

I pounded several more times, until the door suddenly opened and Max stood there, still in his work clothes minus the jacket and the tie, and with the sleeves of his white button-down shirt rolled up.

“Lizzie? Is everything okay?”

“No,” I said. Then I slammed my fist on his chest. He moved back a step in surprise and I charged forward, hitting him on the chest over and over as tears streamed down my face. I hadn’t even realized I was crying until I felt the tears hit my lips.

“You’re a coward, you know that? Coward! Coward! Coward!” My fists moved with each word I uttered out, and Max grabbed my wrist, halting me.

“Enough. Tell me what’s wrong,” he said, his voice stern.

“What’s wrong is you. You’re what’s wrong. You are a coward. You kissed me and then you ran. Each and every time. Including after the kiss you gave me on my wedding day. You just kissed me and you walked away.”

“You told me to go,” he said softly, his thumbs moving over my wrists. I ignored the gentle touch.

“Do you always do what other people tell you to do?”

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