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I shake my head. “You’re the person who brought another woman into our home.”
“You mean my home.”
I look away, not able to look at his handsome face for a minute longer. “I guess I do.”
“I should have known you were nothing but a whore when you got down on your knees so easily for me.”
I suck in a breath and it seems to lodge in my chest like a blade. “I was never ashamed of what I did to protect my brother and the truth is, I’d do it again because I love him, and I never stopped loving you, even after everything that happened between us. But tonight you drove a stake through that love and at least now I’ll be free to move on and find someone who deserves me and doesn’t make me feel cheap for trying to protect someone I love.”
I have nothing left in me right now and I’m teetering on the edge of what I can handle, so I rush to the bedroom and slam the door as I hear a roar. I gather my clothes and head to Eric’s room as glass smashes in the main living room. I’ll sleep here tonight. I can’t face being in our bed with the scent of him on our sheets and the memories of what we shared all around me.
My sweet brother is sound asleep, and I thank God for it. I crawl in beside him in the big bed and listen as Lincoln stumbles around the rooms before I hear him walk past this room and pause. Even now after everything, I’d do anything for him to say it was all a mistake, but he doesn’t, he just carries on to our room and the night falls silent.
I wish I knew why he’d done this. I’d been so sure we were on the same page. He’d been sweet and attentive since our wedding and nothing like the cold, cruel man I’d seen in the beginning. Maybe I should have kept my guard up and held him at arm’s length. But he’d pulled me in, making me trust his every word. Just like last time he’s shown me what I really meant to him and that was less than nothing.
As the dawn light comes through the drapes of Eric’s room, I get up. Silently, I slip from the room and dress in the attached bathroom. I’d grabbed my old jeans and a sweater I had from when my mom was alive. I need to feel her strength around me right now.
I swipe the tears that keep trying to appear away and head out to the terrace on the other side of the penthouse. Hopefully Lincoln will sleep late, and I can get out of here before he wakes. I honestly don’t think I can face him right now.
Dialing the only person I knew who would help, I waited.
“Violet?”
A sob almost chokes me at the sound of his voice. “Hudson, I need your help.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Eric and I need to leave.”
“Did Lincoln not take the news well?”
“I didn’t get a chance to tell him. He came home drunk with another woman.”
“That jackass.”
A laugh erupts from my throat at his indignation, but it quickly turns to a hiccupped sob as the realization of everything begins to hit me. “Will you help me?”
“Of course, Violet. I’ll have a car to you in twenty minutes.”
My knees sag at the words. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure, Violet, and don’t worry. We’ll figure this out, okay.”
My voice feels small and broken as I reply. “Okay.”
I hang up and swipe my eyes with my sleeve. I don’t want Eric to see me cry or ask questions I can’t answer right now. I needed to get him to school so I can have a few hours to figure out my next move. The penthouse is quiet except for the sound of Eric in the bathroom. Since moving here he’s taken it upon himself to make sure he’s awake and ready for school each day.
I sense Lincoln was still here, probably passed out in our, no, his bed. I hope he’ll stay that way for a few hours and give me the time I need to get away. I pack a few of my things that I can’t live without into a small bag, leaving all the clothes he bought me, and slip off my wedding rings, leaving them on the counter in the kitchen.
Taking one last look around, I think my heart will sink to my toes it feels so heavy. I’d been happy here, not just content but truly happy. I’d begun to hope and that was my mistake because fairy tales aren’t for people like me.
When we hit the ground floor, I usher Eric to the door and spot both Lincoln’s driver, Boris and Hudson standing at the curb beside black town cars. I falter as Boris smiles and then I put my head down and rush toward Hudson.
He opens the door, seeming to know I don’t want to make a scene in front of Eric and holds his hand up to Boris to warn him off.
“In you get, Eric.”
“How come we aren’t going to school like usual?” My brother looks at Hudson with protective wariness on his little face.
