Page 163 of Trust Me

I hate that he still calls it home. I told him that he should go back to his real home, the place I’ve never been to. But every night after work he keeps showing up, eating family dinners with us and playing video games with Eve. Like nothing’s changed between us.

“I’ve apologized. It was a fucked-up thing I did with Brendan. I should’ve never let him hear—”

“This isn’t about Brendan,” I declare not for the first time. “Yes, that was unacceptable.” I point at him. “But this is about you. Your damn drive to always win, to be the best, to control. You don’t want me to forgive you because you know what you did was wrong. You want forgiveness just to say you won.”

“That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it?” I don’t wait for his answer. “How could it not be? Our marriage isn’t real, remember? You’re probably scared that the board will find out this marriage is a sham before your promotion becomes permanent. Don’t worry, they won’t hear it from me. Now you can leave.”

“I told you to stop saying that shit. This marriage is real!” he insists.

“How? How is it real, Kyle? Our whole relationship started out on a lie, remember? That’s my fault. But I was stupid enough to fall in love with you. However, you never felt the same for me, and no matter how many bouquets of flowers you send that won’t change anything. Now get out!”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he declares before taking the seat Charlotte vacated.

“We’re having lunch together. I’ve had my assistant order our meals. They should be here any minute.”

“I don’t want to eat with you.”

“Whether you do or you don’t, you’re going to.”

I’m so mad I could scream. Just looking at him makes me want to slap him … again. Once wasn’t enough.

I let out a howl of frustration. “I can call the police on you for trespassing or harassment or whatever.”

“Call them. Here.” He hands me his cell phone. “They’ll arrest me, and I’ll come right back here once I’m released.”

“Not if I get a restraining order.” It’s a bit farfetched but I’m not above making the threat.

“I don’t mind breaking the law just to be near you. You’re my fucking wife.”

I don’t know what’s worse … the way he says it with such conviction or the way my heartbeat quickens every time he says it.

But does he love you?

Not once has he said those three words. He has yet to let me fully inside of his heart.I can’t— won’t give myself to him again.

“Not for much longer,” I say, folding my arms.

CHAPTER40

Kyle

My entire body feels hollow as I watch Riley get up from the dining table as soon as I sit down. It’s been over a week since our fight. No matter how many bouquets of flowers I send, or the number of times I apologize, she refuses to budge. According to her this whole marriage will end the day I become permanent COO.

That’s where she’s wrong. I fully intend to have both. Riley is my fucking wife.

“You screwed up, huh?” Eve’s voice catches my attention. She’s finishing up her bowl of oatmeal before Riley has to take her to one of her mathlete practices.

“Yeah, I did.”

“Big time,” she says, sounding wiser than her eleven years.

“How do you know?”

She shrugs. “One time before we moved to this place, I was jumping up and down on our couch with cranberry juice in my hand and spilled it all over. It was a white couch,” she tells me. “Aunt Riley was mad. Real mad. And then, I lied and told her it wasn’t me. She got even more mad about me lying to her.”

Eve raises and drops her shoulders. “But, after I told her the truth, it only took a day for her to forgive me. She’s never gone a whole week without speaking to me. That’s how I know she’s really mad at you.”

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