Page 39

“Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. You are definitely a sight for sore eyes,” Linda joked.

Myla rolled her eyes at her mother’s comment. She hadn’t seen her mother in a while, so she knew the shots were coming, but she wasn’t in the mood for hearing her mother’s snide remarks.

“Ma, please.”

“Please what? You are my only child. The way you ignored us made me think we did something to you. I called, Heaven called, and poor Mimi has been driving herself crazy worrying about you. I thought that man had you under some sort of spell,” Linda admitted.

Myla felt the same way. The hold that Dante had on her soul had to be some sort of root work. She had never felt this way about a man. The mention of him left a feeling of heaviness on her chest. Without him, it felt as though fingers were wrapped around her windpipe. Tears blurred her eyes and a knot of emotion lodged in her throat.

This has to be what death feels like, Myla thought.

She didn’t understand why she felt so shattered, why his doubt cut deeper than any accusation ever could. She hadn’t done the things he swore she had. And yet, the cruelest thing wasn’t the blame: it was the fact that he believed it. That somewhere in his mind, she had already betrayed him.

His twisted belief made her feel guilty. She felt as though she should be scrambling to prove her loyalty or begging him to believe her, instead of standing firm in what was the truth.

“The last time I saw you, you were happy and excited. Now you look drained.”

The sound of the FaceTime chime made Myla tense with excitement. The only people who FaceTimed her were Dante and Heaven. Since Heaven was in school, she knew exactly who was calling. She hadn’t heard from Dante since he stormed out of her house. She hated the excitement she felt seeing his name on the screen.

I shouldn’t want to talk to him; I should have blocked his number, but he hasn’t answered my calls or my texts. If I could just explain to him that he was wrong, we could work this out, Myla thought as she quickly answered the call.

Linda frowned at Myla’s fidgety behavior.

“There is no way you’re acting like this over a man,” Linda said as she watched Myla’s hands shaking as she fumbled to answer the call.

Myla ignored her. Answering Dante was the only thing on her mind. She had been calling him for a few weeks with no answer. All she wanted was a chance to explain. She hoped that once he heard the truth, they’d be able to get back on the right path.

“Hello,” she answered quickly.

Dante could hear the desperation in her voice. The sound was music to his ears.

“Do us both a favor and stop calling and texting me. I’ve already said I was done. I’ve been trying to be respectful, but you keep harassing me. I let my guard down, and I fell in love with you. That was my fault for being a bad judge of character. The games that you and Miranda play have let me know I need to fall back.”

Myla could not believe what she was hearing. She hadn’t done anything to make him believe that she had been interested in anyone other than him.

“Dante, what are you talking about? We haven’t done anything. We aren’t playing any games. Matter of fact, trying to appease you has put a strain on our friendship,” she said truthfully.

“Appeasing me put a strain on your friendship?” Dante repeated sarcastically. “Thank you for that confirmation. I get it now. She called you and used code words as a way to get me out of the picture, and you fell for it. I should’ve known better than to trust a person who made sexual innuendos the first time I met her. Talking about, I get a man’s name before he plows me down to the floor. I should’ve known better than to trust someone like you. I invited you to my home. Let you know where I lay my head, and I shouldn’t have. I have a lot going on with my clients. I’ll focus on that, and you can focus on you.”

The words cut deeper the second time around. Myla couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It had been a few weeks since she and Dante spoke, and instead of him apologizing, he had buckled down on the lie he created in his head. He stood ten toes down on believing the tale he created, instead of believing her.

“Dante, what are you talking about? None of what you’re saying ever happened. I was trying to read notes from work. No one has ever used code words; no one was online from the office. Why are you telling lies?”

Dante lost it. “Lies?! What’s the lie? Did I or did I not pay you to stay home for the entire week?”

“Yes, but—”

“But what?” Dante asked aggressively. Myla jumped at the explosive boom that echoed from the two words.

“You agreed that you wouldn’t work, took my money, then when your friend called, you forgot all about our arrangement. There’s only one reason you’d go against our agreement. Just admit that you’re fucking someone in your office,” Dante screamed like a madman.

He was so angry that saliva formed at the corners of his mouth. He looked rabid.

Myla burst into tears.

Linda had heard enough. She had experienced men like the man on the phone several times in her life. Men that would argue a blatant lie just for a reaction. Her husband had been that type of man. Willing to argue for days, for no other reason than to continue a fight.

“Instead of crying like a child, have some dignity like a woman. He already said it was over. End the call and give him what he wants,” Linda interjected calmly.