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“I know,” I mutter. “I’m kicking myself.”
“A lot easier on me, you asshole,” she barks, marching down the steps to come toe to toe with me. She has to tip her head back to see my face. “I don’t care if it’s hard on you. In fact, I don’t believe it is hard on you. You don’t seem to give two shits that you’re ending our marriage. You don’t care that you’ve hurt me.”
My hand flies out so fast, she squeaks with fright. I grasp her around the back of her neck and pull her in closer. “Don’t ever say I don’t care about you. It’s because I care I’m doing this.”
That earns me a solid punch to my stomach and it hurts enough I release her. She steps in closer, pokes a finger in my chest. “You’re a moron and a coward. But that’s okay. You used to be that way once and I managed to turn you around. I’ll do it again.”
“Jesus Christ, you’re fucking nuts, Simone,” I yell at her. “Why can’t you just accept this and be done with it?”
“Because I’m not a quitter,” she seethes. “I’m back in your life and I’m going to do whatever I can to get your head out of your ass.”
“F-u-u-u-c-k!” I bellow, clasping my hands on top of my head. I’m so pissed I think it might explode. I take in her resolute stare and cannot even deal with her. I brush past her, jogging up the steps with my keys in hand.
She follows behind me and when we reach the top, I spin and put my hand out to stop her trajectory. It presses into her chest and I hold her at arm’s length. “I don’t want you here.”
“Too bad. I’m your wife and you love me.”
“I don’t want you anymore.”
“Liar,” she retorts.
She’s infuriating and so fucking stubborn that I have to resort to cruelty. “I don’t love you, Simone. Not enough to work this out.”
“Such a liar,” she says as she smacks my hand away and moves to the door. “Get my bags, will you?”
“No way. You are not staying here. Go to Malik’s house.”
Challenge and a devious glint spark in her eye and my pulse skitters with dread. Simone knows how to get her way. “What’s wrong, Van? Afraid of me? Afraid your resolve might not be that strong? That you can’t hold up against me? I toppled you once and it wasn’t that hard.”
Okay, now that just affronts me on a competitive level. It’s true that Simone was like a dog with a bone when she came after me before, but she has no clue the level of sincerity or deep belief I have that I’m doing the right thing.
I don’t take the bait. Instead, I say, “I’m giving you about thirty seconds to clear off my porch or I’m calling the police to say you’re trespassing.”
“You call the police and I’m calling every news agency in Pittsburgh to have them record the police removing me from my own home. I’m sure they’re going to love hearing the entire story of how you’re abandoning me because of some stupid book.”
Rage flashes hot through me from my complete loss of control. I wouldn’t put it past Simone to do just such a thing.
My mind spins. The woman is absolutely too fucking tenacious. When she set her sights on me, she poked at me over and over again, impervious to my insults to get her to back away.
Simone knew no bounds and had no shame. She moved in without an invitation to the house I was sharing with her brother, Lucas, and immediately decided she wanted me. Provocation was her game and she stepped over boundaries whenever she felt like it.
Once she came into my bedroom.
“What the fuck are you doing in here?” I snarled.
She pursed those utterly kissable lips. “Just trying to get to know you. You make it kind of hard, you know.”
“I don’t want to know you. I’m a temporary roommate to your brother. You’re just a houseguest.”
She pouted and I had a million dirty fantasies about that mouth. “Now that just hurts my feelings.”
“Apparently not enough to drive you out of my room, though,” I snapped.
“Come on, Van.” She tried for a begging tone, but I could tell that woman begged for nothing. “Give me a shot. I make a fun friend, and if you’re interested in a benefits package with that friendship, I’m fucking dynamite in the sack.”
I was stunned stupid. “You did not just say that to me.”
She batted her eyelashes. “Why not? It’s the twenty-first century. Believe it or not, women have a firm grip on their sexuality. Some of us even—and don’t get too bent out of shape about this—actually like to have sex.”
