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Tears prickle in my eyes as I think about refuting his statement that I was back with Bennett. The thump that is still loud between my legs won’t exactly allow that. “I know.” I bite my lip, the tears forming in my eyes. “I’m so sorry.” I wish I knew what to say, but the words are failing me.
“So, what was I…just a substitute until your ex came back? I stroked your hair and held your hand, and made you strong and confident again, all so you could go back to your husband?”
It feels like the wind has been knocked out of me. My stomach is in knots and my throat is suddenly drier than the Sahara. I let out a breath. “No. I never anticipated any of this. I didn’t know that he’d lose his memory and forget what happened that made us broken…” I tell him honestly. “I’m working through all of that now.” I sniffle back the tears. “But I never meant to hurt you, I swear.”
He snorts. “Thanks.”
“I’m serious, David. I…can’t thank you enough for…”
“Using me?” he interjects.
“No! I…”
His eyes snap to mine, cold and angry and defeated. “Did you fuck him?”
I blanch at his words. “David, you’re out of line. That’s none of your business.”
He stands up and shakes his head. “So, that’s a yes. Wow, that took what? A week?” He looks down at his watch before cocking an eyebrow at me. “Classy, Liv.”
Fuck this. I really don’t need this. I get he’s angry, but he doesn’t get to slut shame me for being intimate with my own husband. Ex-husband. WHATEVER.
Remembering where I am, and the fact that I’m entirely to blame for David’s feelings, I calmly speak. “I’d like you to leave.” It’s as if something switches inside of him and he takes a step forward. He reaches his arms out and I flinch away from him.
He frowns. “I’d never hurt you, Olivia. You ran back to the man that broke your heart and you won’t let me touch you?” he shouts as his eyes widen, and for a moment I think he might put his hands on me. I pick up my phone, wondering if maybe I need someone to get him out.
“I’m calling security.”
“For fucking what?” he snarls.
“Because I already asked you to leave, and I’d like you to respect that.”
He huffs and narrows his gaze at me before he takes a step back and shakes his head. “You’d think for someone who was hurt as deeply as you’ve been, you’d be more careful with other people’s hearts. Goodbye Olivia.”
I push through my door and stop almost dead in my tracks when I see Bennett sitting on my couch—with his mother.
“Caroline.” The fake smile that I’d perfected for my mother-in-law, makes its way onto my face just as Bennett jumps to his feet almost guiltily and makes his way towards me.
“Baby…” He can sense my tension, I’m sure, and after the day I’ve had, the last thing I want is to deal with Caroline.
“Olivia.” She nods and takes a sip of her sparkling water, and I glare at Clarke for giving her one of my La Croix.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” I ask, as I slide my slingbacks off my feet and leave them by the door.
“You just leave them there? What, are we in a barn?” She scrunches her nose and looks at my shoes and then at me.
“Mother,” Bennett admonishes and she puts her hands up. I scowl as I pick them up and make my way to my bedroom. I don’t even have a chance to shut the door when he’s behind me. “I am so sorry.”
“Why is your mother here, Bennett?!” I whisper harshly. I want to yell, but a part of me is still scared shitless of Caroline Clarke, and the last thing I need is her hearing the tantrum I’m about to throw. “I’m trying really hard to be respectful because she is your mother. But we aren’t together, and this is my house. And I am this close to telling her to get the fuck out of it. Now what is she doing here?” I hold my index finger and thumb no more than a millimeter apart and hold it in front of his face.
“Okay, first of all, we are together.” His voice is even and awfully confident for a man I’d yelled at this morning. “Secondly, she showed up and I wanted to call you or text you to warn you but my phone doesn’t fucking work.”
“You’re getting a new phone,” I tell him as I put my shoes in my closet and pull off my jacket. “She just showed up?”
“Yes, she wanted to check on me.”
“And let me guess, she had something to say about the fact that I wasn’t here?”
“No. I made it perfectly clear, you’ve been the best nurse.” He raises an eyebrow at me and I scowl at him as I drop on the bed.
