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He was still alive and well, and working withWholesome Foods. No one who wrote a stack of letters when email existed was just going to happily ignore the one who got away, even if the only feelings that still remained were spite.
As a matter of fact…had he shown up to the funeral?
I closed my eyes, letting my mind go back to that time, a little over ten years ago. I’d been too absorbed with my family and my own grief to pay too much attention to the crowd, but when I forced myself to pull up the memories…Calli was there.
Caspian Sterling was there.
And… yes.
So was Stanford.
Another memory hit me then, how utterly agitated my father had been that day. His mood could easily be explained by the fact that we were returning the—supposed—love of his life to the earth. But knowing what I did now, it was more likely frustration that the unresolved love ofherlife had dared to show up.
It also eliminated any chances Stanforddidn’tknow about Soren.
Hehadto.
Right?
A loud pounding at the door made me roll my eyes, and I immediately put away the letters. There was no point in bothering to get up to answer it. Orion came stalking into the room like a damn panther a few moments later.
“I see you broke yourself in just fine again,” I said, not bothering to look up from what I was doing, plugging in my mother’s laptop, and searching my desk for a charger that might fit the old tablet.
“Why are you playing with me?”
I did look up then, meeting his gaze. “Nobody is playing with you. I’m just trying to live my life, fulfill this contract, and then handle all future contact with you through a well-trained mediator.”
“So the contractdoesmatter to you then?”
“OhGod,” I huffed, sitting back and crossing my arms. “Why are yousohung up on this absolute bullshit? Why is it so hard for you to believe I just made an honest mistake because I’m an honest person? I’m not some shark in the water, business tycoon looking for ways to fuck people over.I made a mistake. And immediately fixed it. Because I’m not what you’re trying to make me out to be, which at this point, I’m starting to think is just to make yourself feel better.”
He scoffed. “Feel better aboutwhat?”
“About yourpurposefulbreach,” I snapped back. “Our fidelity clause is very clear, in case you didn’t know.”
“I didn’t fuck her!”
“Maybe not, but you certainly conducted yourself in a manner that gave her the impression she could insert herself between us,” I explained. “And in case you didn’t read it, or maybe just forgot,thatis a breach of our contract too. You don’t get to use women against me to piss me off, make me jealous, hurt my feelings, whatever the fuck you were trying to do.”
“Which I only did because of whatyoudid.”
I let out a dry laugh. “Because of what youconvinced yourselfI did, because of whatever insecurityyouhave going on. I know you only did that shit to get back at me. It’s the only reason I didn’t immediately just call my lawyer.”
His nostrils flared as he pushed out a sigh.
“Fine. So you got your lick, and I got mine, can we move forward from the bullshit?”
“There was no lick from me,” I corrected. “But you know what…whatever. It’s even. Sure. What next?”
“What’s next is you bringing your ass home.”
I shook my head. “No can do,” I told him. “I need space and I’m taking it. If you don’t like it… do whatever you feel like you have to.”
I shifted attention back to my task at hand—my mother’s devices—ignoring my “husband”.
Trying to.
There was a noticeable lift in tension when he turned away and stalked back out of my apartment without saying another word.
