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She spun around and he took a step back from the hatred in her glare.
“You should’ve put it in the contract,” she said.
“We decided to work it out together.”
“That was before. Now, if it’s not in the contract it doesn’t exist because this”—she pointed at him—“between you and me is done. No, it never existed. It was only a fantasy, a dream.” She stepped into her old room and slammed the door.
A thud sounded. She must’ve dropped her bag and then her sobs, muffled as if she had her head buried in the pillow, drifted out of the room. He put his hand on the door, wanting to go to her, to hold her, but instead he rested his forehead against the door while every sob she made was like a knife in his heart.
CHAPTER 8: Harker
Harker sat in his office for hours, trying to figure out how to fix his relationship with Alison without losing everything. He ran his hand down his face. He was exhausted. She should be asleep by now. He got up and walked to her room. She’d agreed they’d sleep together no matter what and although it wasn’t in the contract, he wasn’t letting her back out of their deal. He turned the handle. Son of a bitch. She’d locked the damn door. Now he had to find the fucking key. He started to walk away when he heard her sniffle. “Alison, open the door.”
“Go away.” Her voice was raspy from crying.
“Please, open the door.” He rested his hand on the wood.
“No.”
“I have a key.”
Silence.
“I will go get it.”
More silence.
Shit. He strode down the hallway and into the library, opening the small safe where he kept his backup keys. He walked to her room, slid the key inside the lock and turned it. He twisted the knob, but it was still locked. “You unlocked it didn’t you? Very funny.” He turned the key again and opened the door, dropping the key into his pocket as he stepped inside the room. He had a feeling he was going to need this key a lot over the next few days.
“Leave me alone.” She was curled in a ball, the covers pulled up to her neck.
“Please don't cry. We can make this work.”
She sat up and his heart twisted. He’d never seen anyone look that sad.
“If you’ve ever had any feelings for me at all you’ll leave.” She stared at him, her eyes filled with hurt and a spark of hope, but she was asking the impossible.
He had to stay. He couldn’t make her understand that they belonged together if he left.
“That’s what I thought.” The spark of hope died in her eyes as she flopped back down on the bed, rolling onto her side away from him.
“Alison.” It was a plea.
“Do whatever you want. It’s what you always do anyway. Whatever is best for Harker. Fuck everyone else. You certainly fucked me.” Her laugh turned into a sob and his gut clenched with pain and fear.
He stood there for several minutes unable to move forward and unable to leave. He had no idea how to fix this. Finally, he turned and walked away, closing the door behind him. Her muffled sobs were like a punch in the gut, and he slid to the floor, his back against the door. Merri was right. He’d broken her and he had no idea how to make it right without letting her go.
CHAPTER 9: Harker
Harker sat in his office, staring out the window. The last few days had been the worst in his life, and he’d had some pretty shitty days.
After work, Alison went straight to her room. She wouldn’t talk to him or even answer his questions. Every night he stayed up until he was exhausted and then fell asleep outside her bedroom door, anything to be near her. Sometimes he’d wake to her muffled sobs, and it made him sick. He was hurting her, but he couldn’t let her go. He couldn’t risk losing her.
At work she was professional and polite, giving him updates and answering his questions but nothing else. She wouldn’t eat with him or talk to him. He was starting to worry about her health. She was sad and stressed and she wasn’t eating properly. He couldn’t let this continue. He called her phone.
“Yes.” Her tone was clipped.
“I need to see you.” He needed to hold her, kiss her, touch her, but he’d have to settle for just seeing her – for now.
