“You asshole. Yes, I was unfaithful. But only once and only after you cheated on me.” I glare at him. “Yes, I know. I saw you with her. You made me feel like I was lucky to be with you. My family acted like itwas crazy of me to leave you. And I let them to stop them from knowing that you’re a low-down lying dog who slept with the woman who sabotaged me and had just been given the promotion I worked my ass for. On my desk,” I shout.
The room was quiet before, but now it’s as still as a tomb. I can’t bring myself to look up and wait to see if anyone will say anything. Kwame has moved and is hovering near the entryway behind Stephen.
He has one hand in his pocket, a shoulder resting on the wall, legs crossed at the ankle, looking for the all the world like he’s a neutral observer. Except his eyes are darker and more intent than I’ve ever seen them.
My eyebrows knit together. Seeing him and Stephen side by side makes their generally similar appearance hard to deny but I can’t believe I ever thought they looked alike. I may have a type, but I’ve also learned how to take the true measure of a man.
As I look at Stephen now, I can’t remember what I found attractive about my ex in the first place.
“Sin, I’m so sorry,” my mother breaks the silence.
I turn to her and shake my head. “I’m not.”
“Don’t say that,” Stephen says, his face in his hands. “It was a mistake, Sin.”
“No, it wasn’t. It’s who you are. The mistake was trying to see something that wasn’t there.”
I use the last thread of my strength to stand. “Now, if you’ll please excuse me, I’m going to clean up, come back, and enjoy lunch.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Kwame
Wants and Needs
Chaos erupts right when Sin leaves the room.
Then everyone is talking at once. Fingers are pointing in every direction and I’m reminding myself that it’s a crime to hit someone. That Stephen isn’t worth the trouble that an assault charge will create. But God, I want to knock his teeth out for making Sin bare her soul and relive the hardest days of her life before she was ready to.
I couldn’t look at her as she spoke. The hurt in her voice was unbearable.
I’m not sure what to do next, but I am certain that this is a turning point.
Sin may notwanta partner, but she needs one.
She’s taking so much on by herself and I’m not built to stand by and watch someone struggle when I know I can help.
I can't force it on her, but I will be there the minute she recognizes it for herself.
We promised to keep things casual and to keep this to ourselves. But I haven’t been able to bind the emotions that have grown inside of me since we started sleeping together.
But my inability to open up has played a role in hers.
If I want her to trust me, I’ve got to show her that I trust her.
I love her.
I don’t want this to be casual. I don’t think she does either.
Sin comes back in and the chatter of conversation stops. I get to my feet and walk over to her, and she smiles at me but gives a barely perceptible shake of her head. I stop a few feet away. “Are you feeling better?”
“Yeah.” Her tight smile and the noticeable bob of her throat say otherwise.
She looks so alone and brave and it’s hard to stand here and not pull her into my arms.
In fact, it's utterly unbearable.
I ignore the weight of watchful eyes and ignore Sin’s stiffening posture and yelp of protest when I pull her into a hug. “I’m sorry you had to say all of that before you were ready.”
