Watching her interaction with Zeke, shouldn’t make me want to forgive her for what she did.
She betrayed the family, endangered all of us, including me.
But maybe she doesn’t care about me.
Harper married me to protect her son and herself.
Sighing, I head for the kitchen and grab a drink of water.
Liam glances back at me from his position on the loveseat. He stands and joins me in the kitchen, his beer in hand. “Do you want one?”
Ashton and Nova are cuddling on the sofa, whispering and laughing about some joke between just the two of them.
“Thanks, I’m good with just water, for now.” I’m not sure how I’ll be feeling after Harper and I talk.
“You weren’t in there very long with Harper,” Liam says, glancing in the direction of Zeke’s bedroom.
“We’re putting him to bed. I thought it would be a good idea to have the adults talk in private.” I don’t want Zeke hearing or watching what I intend for Harper after he’s in bed.
Liam nods slowly and takes a sip from his beer. “I know things are a bit complicated right now, but I’m sure whatever she did, it wasn’t intended to hurt you.”
“She went to the police. How could that not hurt me?” I grimace and suck in a sharp breath, biting down on my tongue.
I’m not going to have this conversation with Liam when I need to have it with my wife, the one who betrayed me.
Hearing her side, there’s nothing she could say that would make me accept what she did and forgive her.
I glance at my watch, take another sip of water, and then reach for Liam’s beer in his hand.
He willingly offers it up, and I take a long swig, hoping the pain will somehow be dulled.
It doesn’t help.
And I’ve emptied his drink.
I place the empty beer bottle in the recycle bin and then stalk toward Zeke’s room, glancing in. She’s finishing the last page and tucking him into bed.
I wait until she’s nearly out of the room before I wander in, give him a hug and a kiss goodnight, and shut the door behind myself.
“Our room, now,” I snap at Harper.
Her expression is sullen, and she wordlessly nods, walking into our bedroom.
I shut the door behind her, and while I don’t slam it because Zeke is in bed, it’s still a bit more forceful than I’d usually close it at this hour.
“You owe me the truth.” I stare at her, my back to the door. I fold my arms across my chest and glance her over.
I’m not convinced she isn’t wearing a wire, not after her little betrayal this afternoon at the police station.
Fuck me.
“I told you the truth,” Harper says, staring at me. She doesn’t look away or flinch as I stride across the room and come to stand face-to-face with her, although she’s staring up at me, and I’m glaring daggers down at her.
“You told me what you wanted everyone to hear.” We weren’t alone when she gave me her little version of the truth.
“I was doing it to protect you,” Harper says, her eyes wide, exasperated as I run my fingers down her bare arms and reach for her hands.
I lift her arms above her head, guiding her shirt up and off her body, tossing it to the floor.
