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"Are you kidding me?" I shriek, nearing hysterics. Dr. Hollister jumps and drops the paper.
"Asia, I know you're upset, and I wish there were something I could do to make this better for you. This is all very unexpected. I know you love him, and I know he loves you too. I shouldn't say this, but I honestly feel he is spiraling with depression and acting very self-destructively. I would not be at all surprised if, in a few months, you two are back together again. Out of all the couples, you two were the closest, had the deepest connection, the most chemistry."
Kim hands me a tissue and I dab at my eyes with it. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? What good is any of that? He's gone, and I have nothing but a huge hole in my heart."
"I wish I could say more, but you know I am under obligation to keep his journal and our chats confidential. I can only help you if he agrees to let me help you as a couple."
"Well, isn't that great! And I'm supposed to just walk out of here with a broken heart? And a bunch of money I don't want? And that's it? We had a life together. This wasn't a game to me. This wasn't supposed to happen!"
They both look at me sympathetically, and I know I am making a fool of myself. I straighten my blouse and hold my head up. "Is there anything else? I'd like to go now. I have a lot to do now that I wasn't expecting."
"Yes. You will receive a check for fifty thousand in the mail for your part in the experiment, and you will be receiving papers from his lawyer in a day or two. You are welcome to call me if you have any questions."
I stand. "Thank you. I'm sorry for shouting, and I'm sorry we were a failure for your experiment."
Standing, she comes around her desk to pull me into an embrace. "I'm very sorry. I truly am. I really hope this isn't the end for you two."
I turn on my heel and leave, bursting into tears the moment I'm out in the parking lot. As soon as I get into my car, I call his cell phone. It rings four times and then goes to his voice mail. I try to calm my breathing and sobbing while I wait for his greeting message to end.
"Talon…I have no idea what just happened, but I'm very confused. I don't know if you're sicker than you've let me know or if you're just depressed… But whatever it is, we can work through it. I love you and I don't want to lose you. No matter what's going on, we can make it better. Please just call me or come home. It doesn't have to be like this. Please talk to me. I love you."
I start the car and head home, so lost in my thoughts that I drive right through a red light, avoiding a collision with another car by mere inches. Trembling and crying, I drive twenty miles per hour the rest of the way back to the house.
I'm shocked to see that his car is gone when I pull into the garage, which must mean he had Max bring him here to get it while I was getting my heart broken by Dr. Hollister.
I call his cell phone again as I walk into the house, and once again, it goes to his voice mail. "Talon, seriously, what the hell is going on? Why are you doing this to me?" I swallow hard. "You know how much this hurts me, having someone just abandon me, just like my family did. You are killing me. Please talk to me, tell me what I did wrong. Help me fix this. I don't want to lose you or our home. I'm worried about you."
I end the call and prowl through the house, trying to find a note or a sign, anything. I find nothing. The only thing different is that his pillow and his bottles of medication are gone from the bedroom.
I quickly change into something more comfortable and go back downstairs in a daze.
This isn't happening.
I sit on the couch and run my hand over the soft leather fabric that just last night he was sitting on with his arms around me. It was his idea to watch a movie. He initiated the sex—and I still have the red marks on my neck from his rough sucking and biting as proof. Why did he do that? Thinking back, he was different last night. Not angry in his touch, but almost desperate.
You'll always be mine.
He whispered that right before he took me. What can that mean? What made him leave with no explanation? Could he still be punishing me for considering talking to Danny weeks ago? That would be so immature. Why would he throw away everything we have over something so ridiculous? It makes no sense.
I stare at my phone, willing it to ring or get a text message.
I wonder if I should call Lukas and see if he knows anything or if he could talk to Talon for me, make sure he's okay. He's always been so nice to me. So have Storm and Evie. And Asher. That will be so embarrassing, though, calling one of them and telling them he left me and refuses to talk to me. I haven't even done anything, but I feel, with the way he left, I must have. I just don't know what it is.
I send him a text.
Me: Hello? Will you please talk to me?
No response, but shows as read.
Me: Talon, please. What is going on? Why are you doing this?
No reply. But read.
Me: You fucking coward. How could you do that to me? Without even a good-bye? Did I mean nothing to you this entire time? Do you have any idea how that felt to have them tell me you wanted a divorce and you just left? I will never forgive you for this.
Read. No reply.
Me: I know you're getting these. Say something. Please.
Talon: All I can say is I'm sorry. Please stop texting me and calling me. I'm sorry.
That's it? He's sorry?
I shake my head, tears falling onto my lap as I furiously type another message.
Me: Why did you fuck me last night? And let me think everything was okay? What kind of sick game was this for you?
Talon: It's not a game. Please stop.
Me: You bastard. You turned out to be like everyone else. You've completely crushed me in every way possible. I hate you! I wish I never fucking met you!
Talon: Asia, stop
Me: What the fuck is wrong with you? Why did you tell me you loved me? Why did you let me get your stupid name tattooed on me? And mine on you? Why won't you at least be a man and talk to me?
Talon: I just can't. I'm fucked up and I'm sorry.
Me: Did something happen? Something you're not telling me?
Talon: No. Just stop. Let it go. Find a nice place to live. Find a nice guy. I'm sorry you're hurt.
Me: WTF!? Did you meet someone else?
Talon: No. Now stop, my head hurts. I can’t stare at this phone screen. It hurts my eyes.
Me: Then come home and get in your own bed and let me rub your head for you. I think the pills have made you crazy. We'll go to the doctor together and figure this out. Just come home and we can forget this happened. I promise I won't be mad.
Talon: You just told me you hated me
Me: Only because I'm upset! I'm out of my mind right now. I love you, I want you to come home. Where are you? I'll come get you. We don't have to talk. I'll bring you home and you can lie down. I'll rub your head. I'll get the lip balm. I'll make you cupcakes. Whatever you want. We'll go see the doctor. It will be okay.
Talon: Asia, don't act like this. Stop fucking with my head. It's over.
Me: Fucking with your head? What does that mean?
Talon: It means nothing. Please stop. I'm going to turn my phone off. If you keep doing this, I'll change my number so we can both stop this.
Me: I have no idea who you are right now.
Talon: That makes two of us. I'm turning this off.
I'm so upset I'm shaking again, my teeth actually chattering against each other. I don't understand any of this. It's like he fell asleep as one person and woke up as someone else. I wonder if the disease causes brain damage or multiple-personality disorder. Something is very wrong.
* * *
I sleep on the couch, sobbing uncontrollably until I exhaust myself, every day for seven days. I only get up to take care of Pixie, take small sips of juice, and eat crackers. I ignore all the calls and texts I receive from Kat and Kimberly. Every time my phone makes a sound, I jump, hoping it is Talon—but it never is.
On the eighth day, the front door beeps and fl
ies open and I bolt up from the couch, hoping—wishing—it's him.
"Kat… What are you doing here?"
She stands over me, shaking her head back and forth, hands on her thin hips. "You refuse to answer my calls. Obviously, I know what happened and I tried to give you space, but I can't let you do this. As your appointed guardian angel, I am obligated to make sure you don't fall into a deeper depression or wither away to nothing." She grabs my arm and pulls me up. "Look at you. Don't do this, Asia."
I sigh, devoid of any more tears. I've reached the point where I simply cannot cry anymore. The pain has gone full circle from absolutely horrible to totally numbing.
"He won't talk to me. At all. I don't know what I did wrong, Kat."
"Asia, I think the dude is fucked up right now. And you're not too far behind him. I want you to go upstairs right now and take a shower while I go find you something to eat. I am not going to let you do this to yourself. Been there, done that, remember?"
"I don't want anything."
"That does not matter to me. I have a list here of five town houses that are beautiful not far from here. We're going to look at them tomorrow. You need to get out of this house."
