AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I head back to her. “Just a few things for the cupboard.”
“No. I don’t need anything. Take them back.”
I smile. “I know Social only gives you twenty quid to last you until your benefit payments start. That could be a couple weeks yet. And I know how bad you are at shopping.” I add a grin, which she doesn’t return.
“You shouldn’t be buying me things. Actually, that reminds me.” She reaches up, unclasping the necklace from her neck, followed by the bracelet I brought for her birthday. She holds them out to me, but I make no move to take them. “Please,” she whispers.
I shake my head. “They were presents.”
“To keep me from finding the truth,” she says. “I don’t want them.”
“They were presents because I wanted to make you smile. I wanted to do something nice because you deserved it—”
“So, it was guilt?”
I sigh. “No, Tessa. I lied because I had to. I didn’t know you when I made that agreement. If I did, maybe I wouldn’t have. Either way, I can’t take it back now. I’m sorry . . . so fucking sorry.” She looks torn, so I move closer, picking up the bags. “At least let me carry these in for you.” I don’t wait for her reply. Instead, I go inside.
I take in the chipped paint on the walls and the worn-looking couch. “It’s through there,” Tessa says, pointing to her kitchen. I place the bags on the side. The kitchen is outdated like the rest of this shit pit.
“Jesus, this place isn’t liveable,” I mutter.
“It’s just fine.”
I begin to take the shopping from the bag before stopping and turning to her. “I don’t want to leave you here. Come home with me. Or I can get you a hotel if you’re not ready to forgive me.”
“I’ve spent my adult life with a man controlling my every move. I’m happy here with my freedom.”
“Tessa, I’m not like him. I’d never control you.”
“Can I be honest with you, Nero . . . or Tristan . . . whatever your name is?”
“People call me Nero,” I tell her.
“Meeting you was like a breath of fresh air. I’d spent so long being invisible, and you made me feel seen. The reason I slept with you was because I’d made my mind up—I was planning on taking my own life.” I brace myself on the worktop at her confession. “And I wanted to have one last good memory because I don’t have many of those. But then I found out the truth and I don’t know if you’ll ever understand what that did to me. With Dante, I knew he was bad, so I expected each nasty remark or punch. I didn’t see that coming with you and it hurt so much more. You lied to me. Even after you supposedly liked me, you didn’t come clean. Not only that, but you used me to get to him. Every punch and every kick after you walked into my life was one you could have prevented.” I lower my head, unable to look her in the eye. “So, I can’t forgive you, and I can’t let you back in, because I’ve made a promise to myself not to ever let a man treat me badly again, especially a man I can’t trust. And I can’t trust you, Tristan.”
There’s a lump in my throat that I swallow down before looking her in the eye. “It was real, Tessa. Every kiss, every touch. That was real.”
“The night you took me out to celebrate my birthday, did you drink alcohol?” she asks. I look away, and she smiles sadly. “You plied me with drinks so I’d talk. Do you see why I can’t trust you?”
I nod. “I was desperate. They were gonna pull the plug on the operation, and that meant I had to walk away from you, ghost you.”
“Is that what happens with these things?” she asks. “How many women have you done this to then ghosted?”
“Tessa, I lo—”
“Don’t,” she cuts in. “Don’t you dare say it.”
“Just because you won’t let me say it, doesn’t mean it isn’t true. I’ve never felt like this before.”
She folds her arms over her chest. “You should go now. Please, don’t come back.”
“You don’t mean that.”
She nods. “I do. We’re over. I don’t want to ever see you again.” She follows me to the door. “Do you know the worst thing, Nero?”
I stand on the doorstep. “What?”
“I would’ve told you everything if you’d have asked. Do you know how long I’d waited to find someone who could help me get out of there? I’d have told you whatever you needed to get him put away.”
