Page 8 of She Wolf

“The bitch I’ve been banging. She’s obsessed with me, but I took her to make sure she got a birth control shot. Don’t want to be making that mistake again. She’s got the whole world at her feet. Gonna be some big-shot COO at her daddy’s company. I can’t wait to tell her I’m rid of you.”

I swear he’s on something and suspect he has been for a while, cocaine if I had to guess. He’s angry, vicious even, and the words that fall out of his mouth are laced with venom. My shoulders shudder. He is so disgusting.

“I’ll be filing for divorce as well. She’s worth more than your cheap -ass brother anyhow.”

So, he’s found a new meal ticket.

“Don’t talk about Casey like that!” It’s the only rise he ever gets out of me. When he says something hurtful about Jack or Casey.

Coming at me with that horrible sneer, I brace for whatever’s about to happen, but instead of hitting me like I thought he would, he grabs the handle of the case nearest me and then rolls them awkwardly through the narrow hallway, not even stopping to check in on his son.

“I’ll see you in court, Coralie.” he throws over his shoulder, not bothering to keep his voice down.

Yeah, you damn well will.

He launches his wedding ring at me and with that, he’s out and slamming the front door behind him. I brace for the inevitable wail of a baby being woken from a deep sleep, but it doesn’t come.

I heave a huge, enraged sob as my shaky hands lock the door unable to believe he’s finally gone.

It’s been so tense and horrible, for so long I’ve been scared we’d be stuck like this forever and the damage it would do to Jack would be immeasurable. Thank God he found some other poor girl to make miserable. I’d like to warn her, but I want to protect my child more.

Gathering myself together I move back down the hall to check on my precious baby. When I crack the door, he’s lying peacefully asleep in his big boy bed; hopefully having never heard the things his dad said.

Leaning down I stroke his chubby, rosy cheek with my finger and then grab my phone and hit dial, leaving Jack’s nursery.

“Casey?” I say before he can even get a word out.

“Shit, Coralie. What is it?” He sounds alarmed by my tone.

“He’s gone. Nick finally left.”

He lets out a long breath. “What do you mean finally? I fucking knew things weren’t right. What the fuck has been going on? I’m gonna kill him!”

“Hey no! It’s okay. I’m glad it’s over.” I assure him,

“We’re on our way to your apartment,” he says without a beat, “Gunner’s settling the tab.” That actually makes strikes up more panic within me than when Nick was rampaging through the apartment.

I don’t want him, or God forbid, them, to see the mess in the kitchen or the bedroom.

“No, no, there’s no need. I’m fine. I just wanted to tell you.”

“I dunno, Coralie, I feel like I should be there. Is Jack, okay? Did you fight? Did he

hear? Shit, I really am gonna kill him.”

I hear Gunner’s in the background asking what’s going on and the need to quickly diffuse this is taking over. They’re riling themselves up and that was never my intention. I just instinctively called the other half of me. My twin.

Nick hasn’t laid a finger on me tonight, but if they knew he was saying and doing stuff like this they would both probably end up in a jail cell.

Gunner might not be family by blood, but he’d do anything for his best friend. That’s how close they’ve grown over the past year.

“Honestly, Casey. We’re fine. Jack’s fast asleep. I’m just going to have a bath, and then get off to bed. Start a fresh tomorrow.”

“I’ll get you the best divorce lawyer in the city!” he exclaims.

“No. Please, let me do this for myself.”

His reply is a frustrated growl. “Just let me help you. I’m sick of you pushing me away from all of this. That’s not us Coralie. Let me protect you, help you.”

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