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My chest rises and falls in heavy motions. “Yes.”
Because I don’t know what else to do with this anger.
“One of the reporters at work had a file and it fell open one day. It was Jolene’s case. The reporter told me she didn’t believe Jolene was guilty. I spent days going over the file, trying to tell myself to leave it, but the further I got into it, the more I started to believe in her innocence.” She gets her words out in a rush as if time is against her. “Luke, you have to believe me. I didn’t want to get involved—”
“Well, why the fuck did you? I told you about all the evidence we found, and that the lawyers and investigators we hired couldn’t prove her innocence. What made you think there was something we missed?”
“I went and spoke with Jolene.” Her eyes plead with me to hear her. “I think I believe her.”
My mind explodes with red.
No.
I clench my fists by my side.
The woman I love has been poisoned by the woman who stole everything from me.
Now she’s trying to steal Callie from me.
I grip Callie’s arms. “She’s guilty.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t think so, Luke. Will you just let me show you what I’ve found?”
I let her go. “Fuck, Callie! Will you just listen to yourself? Jolene has sucked you in, just like she sucked me in for years.”
Her face contorts with a flash of anger. “Will you listen to yourself? All I’m asking for is your time and for you to clear your mind for a moment so you can see for yourself.”
I stare at her for a long beat. “You think things are so black and white, Callie. They’re not. That woman broke me—she fucking decimated me—and I won’t give her the ability to do that again.” I jab my finger in the air at her. “You need to drop this now.”
She squares her shoulders. “And if I don’t?”
Our eyes are locked and our bodies are both tense with determination. “I won’t allow that shit in my life. It’s your choice.”
She watches me for what feels like hours, but it’s only moments. Her breathing is erratic and her stubbornness has settled over her like a blanket.
Time passes by in slow motion as she blinks. She moves out of my reach when she takes a step back. And her love packs up and goes home when she nods and says, “I can’t let an innocent woman rot in prison.”
The thing I’ll remember most is her back as she walks away from me. The vision sends chills through my bones because she has wrapped me with love for months and all I feel now is cold emptiness as she takes that love away.
32
Callie
“He was so angry… and so cold.” I wipe the tears from my eyes as I relay the fight to Avery. I’ve been sitting on her couch crying on and off for the last hour.
She hugs me. “Oh, baby, I’m sure he’ll calm down and come looking for you.”
I stay in her arms for a long time while I let the tears fall. When I finally pull away, I shake my head. “I don’t think so, A. I’ve never seen him so angry. And then at the end, so detached. It was like he’d already switched off his emotions. Oh, God…” Another rush of tears slide down my cheeks. My whole body is in agony, but it’s nowhere near as painful as the break in my heart.
She passes me more tissues. “I think you should stay here tonight. I don’t want you going through this alone.”
I nod because I’m not sure I could drive home in my state. “The thing is, I just don’t understand why he wouldn’t at least listen to what I had to say. All I wanted was for him to look at it all. It would have been so easy if he’d just done that.”
“Nothing’s that easy in life, babe. If things were that clear cut, world peace would exist. My guess is that the only way Luke has been able to get through this whole situation has been to shut himself off to Jolene. You brought her back into his life in a big and really unexpected way. I truly think he’ll calm down and come around. I mean, look back at what he was like before you two got together—you guys used to go at each other a lot, but you always moved past it.”
“I hope you’re right.” I can’t help but think she isn’t. I really think Luke meant what he said. And as much as I want to choose him, I could never live with myself if Jolene spent years in prison when she should have been free. My decision affects Sean, too.
“So, where are you with the investigation? Maybe if you can speed that along, you can get back to being happy with Luke.”
