“You know, when I met you, I knew you two would hit it off,” he says. “I just didn’t realize how hard you’d fall.”
I glare. “Don’t try to take credit for this.”
He shrugs. “You wouldn’t have met him otherwise.”
Silence while I wipe my nose with the damp, crumpled tissue. “Why did you think that?” I whisper.
“You’re two sides of the same coin,” he says. “Never met two people more alike.”
“Maybe that’s a bad thing.”
“I don’t believe in the notion of opposites attracting.”
“What about you and Kayleigh?” I point out. “You’re nothing like her. Honestly, I have no idea why she’s going out with you in the first place. What do you even talk about?”
He clears his throat. “We’re not going out.”
“You break up?”
“No,” he says firmly. “We don’t talk about anything because we’re just fucking. It’s not serious. Don’t need to have anything in common.”
“How old are you?” I glare sideways. “Aren’t you, like, fifty?”
“You’re full of invasive questions tonight.”
I sniff, getting some satisfaction out of making him uncomfortable after everything he put me through. “Well, Kayleigh’s too young for you.”
He turns his eyes to the window, street lamps flickering in them.
“You hurt, Della,” he says softly. “I’m sorry about that.”
Neither of us speak. He’s right—I hurt, and I’m lashing out because he’s right there to take it. I don’t know how to respond. My words are all worn out tonight. Everything aches, but my heart most of all. Sliding back against the seat, I close my eyes and count the twists and turns until he shakes my elbow.
“We’re home,” he says.
I peel open my lids. The Boyd mansion is a blur in my tired eyes.
“How much time do I have to get ready?” I whisper.
“Not much.”
He gets out of the car and goes straight like an arrow to the porch. His driver gets out to unbuckle Jensen. I tear my eyes away from his slack face, riddled with guilt. I can’t help but notice this is the most relaxed I’ve seen him since Montana.
“Della,” Brothers calls.
I touch Jensen’s limp hand on the way out and hurry to where Brothers stands on the porch. There’s something bothering him, that’s obvious. Maybe he feels guilty too, but I keep my mouth shut as he leads the way inside.
“Go upstairs, three doors on the right,” he says. “When you’re done, come down. I’m going to get Jensen into bed to sleep off the drugs.”
He doesn’t wait for a response. I stare after him as he disappears back outside. Then, I’m alone, heart pounding. It reminds me of the first night Kayleigh brought me to see him. That was in a hotel, at the bar in the private lounge. I’d felt so guilty, so evil, meeting with a man to discuss my husband’s downfall. I’d have felt better about it if we were having an affair.
My feet ache as I climb the stairs. The third bedroom on the right is open. I slip inside and stop short.
There’s a dress laid over the bed, along with an open case of jewelry. I move close, my heart pumping faster than a moment ago. It’s starting to really sink in that I have to see Leland tonight. I’ll sit down opposite the man who did that to me, who robbed me of my future, who fucked me up so badly, I can’t think of the word for what he did that night. I can’t crack, or I don’t get to see my son again.
It’s so unfair.
Yet, it is.
