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“Yeah,” I say quietly, hating that Liam is witness to yet another entitled overstep.
His thumb moves over my hip in a subtle but reassuring stroke as we step apart, and I can practically feel the air in the room still as my ex looks up from his phone and notices.
Emotions flash across his face. Shock. Anger…Annoyance?
And then his hands drop to his sides and whatever stunt fails video he’s got playing is forgotten as he glares from Liam to me and back again.
“Who the hell are— No. You know what? Never mind.” He lets out a gusty sigh. “Stormy. Outside. Now.”
“Excuse me?” I choke out, shooting a wary glance at the man whose molars I can hear popping beside me.
To his credit, Liam holds back, letting me handle this as I see fit. But Ray doesn’t demonstrate the same respect. Instead, he doubles down.
“Seriously? Come on, babe. Enough is enough. You’ve made your point. You’ve shown me good.” He throws up a hand. “I’m jealous. I’m sorry.Again.” It’s staggering how verynot sorryhe sounds. “We’re even, okay? Now can we lose the jock and move forward?”
For a beat, all I can do is stare. How is this the man I loved for more than half my life? How did I never see what was behind the attentive gestures and sweet facade he showed?
It doesn’t matter. I’m never making that mistake again.
“Ray, you need to leave. We aren’t having this conversation. Ever.”
He doesn’t go. Of course not. Like I haven’t even spoken, he shifts his attention to Liam, who is practically vibrating with barely leashed rage beside me.
“Look, buddy, I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but she’s taken. She knows it. I know it. Everyone in this damn building knows it except you. So why don’t you get your coffee and go.”
Liam’s eyes meet mine. They’re filled with apology and understanding and more patience than I can imagine one man having. “Do you want me to go?”
I want to rewind this whole morning. I want to have made the choice to meet Liam at the coffee shop or somewhere private instead of subjecting him to Ray’s insulting behavior. But since I can’t, I shake my head no.
I want him to stay. Maybe give me a hug once I finally get Ray out of here, because I’ll need it before I go to HR.
“I’m done waiting,” Ray grumbles, raking a hand through his hair. “You’ve got your petty payback, and now you’re just making yourself look like a wh—”
“That’s enough,” Liam bites out, cutting off the accusation I never in my life thought I’d hear from Ray. “It’s time for you to leave.”
It shouldn’t cut at me the way it does. But my hands are shaking with anger and hurt. With humiliation.
Ray’s face twists with fury, and I see it coming.
He goes for Liam, and I react, stepping forward and reaching out to stop him. “Ray,no.”
But he’s already moving and knocks the file from my grasp.
“Jesus, Stormy are you okay?” Liam asks, stepping between us in a blink. With one hand, he’s brushed Ray aside, while the other skims from my shoulder down my arm.
I nod, only I’m not so sure. Where—?
“She’s fine.” Ray ducks to sweep up the manila folder lyingemptyat my feet.
Oh God, where’s the napkin?
“I’m fine,” I assure him, hastily adding, “Ray, you should go.”
He starts to wave me off but stops when his brows buckle and his head tilts. “What the hell is this? ‘You keep your shit. I’ll keep—’”
“It’s nothing.” I lunge past him, zeroed in on the crumpled napkin half beneath my desk.
Only Ray’s right there, his eyes bugging out of his head as he makes a choking sound.
