Page 35 of Creed's Honor

“Kobra,” I said, trying to act normal. Like my heart hadn’t been ripped out hours ago when realising I still loved him. That I hadn’t spent the hour after that on the bathroom floor crying, washing Ty’s scent off me and that it hadn’t taken layers of foundation and blending to cover the redness to my cheeks.

My eyes were still slightly glassy.

I opened the front door wider. “I just got Holly’s message you were stopping by,” I said and stepped right to the side as he walked in.

My phone rang, and seeing the client’s number who I had replaced Ty with tonight, I answered.

“Hey, Dylan—”

“Sorry, Jasmine, can you cancel my evening appointment. I’ve got family commitments,” he cut me off before I said any more, so I knew someone was listening.

“Not a problem, Dylan. Family always comes first. We can reschedule.” With those words said, I hung up.

It was the second man tonight to cancel me for his wife, and my name was Opal, not Jasmine. Which told me, his wife had indeed been listening—because his receptionist was named Jasmine.

That was when it ran through my mind, the cold face-slapping fact. There wasn’t one person in this world that loved me. Not one person that would cancel their plans to be with me. Not one person who cared if, come tomorrow, I wasn’t breathing.

“Opal?”

My eyes flashed off my phone and to Kobra. He was looking at me as if he knew the pain I was feeling.

“Are you okay?” he asked, shifting, slightly uncomfortable. As if asking that question went against his better instincts.

I could taste my tears, and I was quick to wipe them away. I gestured my head to the lounge room. “Her bags are in there,” I said, ignoring his question.

I didn’t know what else to say. I slipped out of my heels and walked into the lounge room, sitting down on the circular couch. If life was what you made it, it was fair to say I had made a toxic potion of co-dependency and addiction to unhealthy men.

Lightning cracked across the sky, the rain slowly getting heavier. I was completely startled when the couch dipped down near me, and I saw Kobra—who I thought would have just left after getting his sister’s things.

As my eyes ran up his neck tattoos, I slowly brought myself to look him in the eyes. I never cried in front of anyone. To say I felt nothing but shame was an understatement.

“Your date cancel?” Kobra asked.

I scoffed softly. “Come on, Kobra. Your club has been supplying Madam longer than that—you and I both know that you know what I do now.” Dragging my gaze to him.

Was he really going to pretend as if he didn’t know that I’d traded my morals and rights to have a body that wasn’t judged a long time ago?

His solid blue eyes remained locked on me, and I was surprised I didn’t see judgement in them or disgust. Kobra was known to keep his emotions close to his chest. It was another reason we never worked.

He opened his vest, pulling out a cigarette packet. “Holly didn’t mention you were back working at your mum’s.”

What was I meant to say? I just stared at him for a few moments longer. “Kobra, what do you want me to say?” Did he really want to hear it? That I ran back to that life as soon as he walked out of my life?

His lips formed a faint line. “I thought you’d walk from it, you know, to do better.”

I was immediately offended. I didn’t even think it through. Maybe it was the fact that he had just insulted me on a level that no one else could possibly do. I picked up my wine glass on the table and threw it on his face.

“How dare you!” I yelled at him. “I tried, okay? I fucking tried!” Was this what he wanted? The fight we never had? Was that why he came here? “I’m lucky she took me back! After I left to be with you, I turned my back on my family, everything, for you, and what did you do?”

He wiped the red wine from his face but didn’t say anything. He just remained quiet.

“I loved you so fucking much. I would have done anything for you!” I added, getting more upset as the years of me smothering our breakup was finally coming out. “But I was stupid because how could the famous Kobra Kincaid feel anything for me!”

His eyes were still on me.

“I now fuck men and get paid for it. But you want to know the truth, Kobra. I fuck men, hoping they fuck you from my system! And they are. I’m not yours anymore!” Was I screaming it because I wanted to believe it, or did I want him to believe it—I wasn’t even sure at this moment.

I inhaled sharply as he got up. I took two steps back from him because he looked murderous as he approached me. My back hit the wall, and his hand gripped my hip, pulling me sharply back to his chest. His hand went to my dress, and he forcefully pulled it down, and his eyes flashed to my heart before looking me back in the eyes.

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