AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She gasps and I prepare myself to tear him a new one for speaking to her in such a hateful manner when she explodes. “Are you fucking kidding me? Are you really that self-involved? First of all, I didn’tspreadmy legs for anyone. I gave myself fully to a man that loves and cherishes me. To a man that I love more than anything.” She purses her lips, and I know she feels good having gotten that small dig in. “But circling back to ‘the first man that gave me a second glance.’ PLEASE!” She puts her hand up. “Men gave me second glances all the time. Sometimes third and fourth glances too. Do you know how many ofyourassociates, clients, and partners have hit on me? Sometimes in front of you! I always thought it didn’t bother you, because you never reacted to it. But you’re telling me you just didn’t notice? I don’t know why I’m surprised, you never noticed anything when it came to me.” I hear the sadness in her voice, and I want to pull her away and kiss the pain out of her. I want her to know that I notice everything about her. That I will always notice her. That she will always be the center of my universe.
Matt is silent, and I think he’s taking a moment to recall the instances in question. “What did he do that I didn’t? How did this motherfucker,” he points at meagain,“weasel in and steal my wife right out from under my nose?”
I’m struggling with whether to step away and let her handle this on her own and wanting to stay, to keep Matt in check and his hands off of my fiancée. “So many things,” Charlotte whispers. “You fell out of love with me, Matt. I could feel it and so could you. When you looked at me it was as if you were looking through me. You stopped seeing me. Will saw me. He didn’t steal me either. I was drowning in my own misery, depressed with a low self-image due to a husband that didn’t pay me the time of day. You took me for granted. You made me feel that I wasn’t important. Like I was your property to do with what you wanted and when you didn’t need me I was irrelevant.” She lowers her head in shame and I wrap my arm around her waist pulling her closer to me.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me that?” he yells, his eyes darting to where we are connected and she flinches.
See? She wants me to protect her now.
She wants me.
She’s mine.
“I did. Before we even went to therapy. Andintherapy! You walked out on me so many times when I was trying to have this conversation with you. Matt, I tried to leave you once. This isn’t the first time you’ve heard this.”
“You never said it like that.”
“Yes, I did. You just weren’t listening. I was screaming for your attention, your affection. But you couldn’t hear me. Or maybe you just didn’twantto.”
He puts his hands on his hips as he takes a step back. He turns around and I wonder if he’s going to walk away, but he turns back to us, his body shaking with anger, his eyes glazing over and I wonder if it’s fueled by too much alcohol or if his emotions are just running high. Either way, I’m on high alert ready to put myself between them.
“We can try again.”Oh, fuck that.“You and me, we can put this behind us. I can forgive you for what you did.For this.” His eyes are clearer as they glare at me, but still cold and angry leading me to believe that despite his words, he would never be able to truly forgive her for what she did.He damn sure wouldn’t be able to forget.
“No, Matt. This isn’t a fling. This is real.” She looks up at me, a look in her eyes telling me she’s sorry, and I squeeze her tighter against me.
“What the fuck do you meanreal?YOU WERE MY WIFE! THERE IS NOTHING MORE REAL!” he screams as he takes another step closer to us. I move in between them again and push him harder against his chest.
I’ve been trying my best to keep my voice even but the anger seeps out of me as he screams at her. “Get the fuck away from her!” I push him back out of her personal space. “You act like she’s the only one that had a hand in destroying your marriage. But this is your MO, right? Placing blame everywhere except for where it belongs. Blaming others for your fucking mistakes.” My voice gets louder, and I note a couple in the corner of my eye scurrying past me.
“You were a shitty fucking husband,” I continue and I watch as his face falls slightly.Good. You deserve to know the truth.“Charley was done taking your shit! She moved on to someone who cares about her. Who gave a shit.Because it was obvious youdid not.” I’m so angry at this point that I’m actually shaking. I ball my hands into a fist to try and stop the tremors moving through me.
I know my words are harsh. Ones said out of anger. The doctor in me is silently condemning my behavior.This is not the answer, Will.But the other part of me, the much larger part, the one that promised to protect the woman shaking like a leaf beside me is gearing up for battle.
This is the end of a yearlong war.
Against my feelings, my conscious, my morals and now the ex-husband of the woman I love.
This is the man that sent a brick through my window, that sent me a fucking sex tape, that tried to break Charley.
Fuck him.
He’s back in my face, the whiskey from his breath swirling around me and making me wish I had a glass at that moment. “You have a lot of fucking nerve, you prick. Is this how youcounsel?” he spits out.
Hit him.The alcohol tells me.
I’m shaking with rage, my hand curling into a fist, ready to hit his arrogant face.
I’m toe to toe with him, he’s about my height, putting us nose to nose and I stare at him square in the eye. “Listen to me,” my voice is low, cold, hard, “if you don’t watch your fucking tone, I will put my fist through your face. Your insults and petulant comments are only proof of just what a pathetic man you are. Charlotte was always too good for you and she’s better off without you.”
He stares at me with equally angry eyes, and within a split second, his hands are wrapped around the collar of my jacket. “Fuck you, asshole.” He turns to Charlotte. “Thisis who you chose over me? This pretentious prick?” He lets me go, shoving me backwards and all of the alcohol in my system makes me stumble slightly.
Charlotte wraps her arms around me, holding me upright. “Matt, I’m sorry that I’ve turned you into this hateful man. But I—” she starts.
I’m so focused on Charlotte, hearing her gear up to speak that I don’t see it coming or I don’t see his fist flying through the air. I hear him grunt outassholeand then Charlotte’s eyes widen. But it all happens so fast.
I turn back towards him and she screams just as his fist connects with my jaw.
Hard.
