that back,” he said quietly.
I didn’t say anything.
“Don’t let my mom get to you. She’s a stupid bitch and I fucking hate her guts. I shouldn’t have even came to this damn gala, but I did because it was important to my dad, who I actually love and respect. Don’t let her make you this upset.”
“I just want to go home…”
“Not until you take that back. I need to hear you say that.”
I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Scarlet,” he pressed. The need and fear was in his voice. His eyes were so wide I thought they would pop.
“Okay,” I whispered.
“What?” he said. “Okay what?”
“I take it back.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Now I’ll take you home.” He wasn’t so aggressive but I could tell he was pissed at me for what I said.
Ryan and Cortland crept back into the building to give us privacy. The shit just hit the fan.
Sean walked beside me as we headed to the car. His hands were in his pockets and he didn’t touch me. When he got behind the wheel, he still didn’t touch me. We drove home in silence. I knew Sean broke the speed limit when he drove alone, but when he was with me, he always obeyed all the rules, even driving too slow sometimes.
When we finally walked inside the house, I darted up to our bedroom and pulled the earrings from my ear lobes. I waited for Sean to come to bed but after several minutes, he didn’t. I knew I crossed a line that could never be uncrossed. I didn’t mean it. I was just so upset that I broke down.
After I changed into my nightdress, Sean charged into the bedroom. He grabbed me then pushed me down on the bed, pinning me so I couldn’t move. “Don’t you ever fucking say that to me again!” The anger burned in his eyes. For the first time, I was actually scared of him. “I’m your husband and I’m going to stay that way. I’ll never give you a divorce and I’ll never let you go. If you say that to me again, you better fucking mean it.” He released me then barged out of our room, slamming the door so hard, it fell off the hinges.
My heart raced in my chest. I caught my breath, still remembering the way he yelled at me. I wish I hadn’t said that. It was the worst thing I could possibly do. Now I pushed my husband away, the only person who was on my side from the beginning.
8
Cortland
I got to the coffee shop early and sat in the corner. I didn’t know what to say to Monnique. How do I act? Should I hug her? What the hell am I doing here? My mind raced at the speed of light until she walked inside.
She wore tight leggings and a white blouse. I liked it when she wore white because it looked good against her skin. When she spotted me, she approached the table. I stood up, automatically.
She stood awkwardly in front of me.
Do I hug her?
She waited for me to embrace her, and when I didn’t, she sat down with a frown on her face. I took my seat across from her and cleared my throat.
“You already ordered?” she asked.
“Chai tea latte?” I asked. It’s what she always got.
She nodded. “Thank you.”
I had a black coffee. I never drank anything else.
She sipped it. “It’s good.”
“Yeah.”
“So…was the rest of the gala fun?” she asked.
“Not really,” I said bluntly. “Sean and Scarlet had the worst fight they’ve ever had.”
“I wondered why he slept on the couch.”
“Shit, that is bad.”
“What happened?” she asked.
“Scarlet blew up and said they should get a divorce.”
Her mouth dropped. “What?”
“I know she didn’t mean it. She’s just upset about his mom and the money issue. To be honest, I don’t blame her. Someone can only take that torment for so long, you know?”
“That was still extreme.”
“I know it was.”
She played with the sleeve of her coffee and avoided my gaze. I knew she was nervous. I was nervous too. I wondered why she wanted to get coffee today. Did she have something she wanted to say to me?
“Cortland, I miss you,” she blurted. “A
I didn’t say anything.
“Don’t let my mom get to you. She’s a stupid bitch and I fucking hate her guts. I shouldn’t have even came to this damn gala, but I did because it was important to my dad, who I actually love and respect. Don’t let her make you this upset.”
“I just want to go home…”
“Not until you take that back. I need to hear you say that.”
I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Scarlet,” he pressed. The need and fear was in his voice. His eyes were so wide I thought they would pop.
“Okay,” I whispered.
“What?” he said. “Okay what?”
“I take it back.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Now I’ll take you home.” He wasn’t so aggressive but I could tell he was pissed at me for what I said.
Ryan and Cortland crept back into the building to give us privacy. The shit just hit the fan.
Sean walked beside me as we headed to the car. His hands were in his pockets and he didn’t touch me. When he got behind the wheel, he still didn’t touch me. We drove home in silence. I knew Sean broke the speed limit when he drove alone, but when he was with me, he always obeyed all the rules, even driving too slow sometimes.
When we finally walked inside the house, I darted up to our bedroom and pulled the earrings from my ear lobes. I waited for Sean to come to bed but after several minutes, he didn’t. I knew I crossed a line that could never be uncrossed. I didn’t mean it. I was just so upset that I broke down.
After I changed into my nightdress, Sean charged into the bedroom. He grabbed me then pushed me down on the bed, pinning me so I couldn’t move. “Don’t you ever fucking say that to me again!” The anger burned in his eyes. For the first time, I was actually scared of him. “I’m your husband and I’m going to stay that way. I’ll never give you a divorce and I’ll never let you go. If you say that to me again, you better fucking mean it.” He released me then barged out of our room, slamming the door so hard, it fell off the hinges.
My heart raced in my chest. I caught my breath, still remembering the way he yelled at me. I wish I hadn’t said that. It was the worst thing I could possibly do. Now I pushed my husband away, the only person who was on my side from the beginning.
8
Cortland
I got to the coffee shop early and sat in the corner. I didn’t know what to say to Monnique. How do I act? Should I hug her? What the hell am I doing here? My mind raced at the speed of light until she walked inside.
She wore tight leggings and a white blouse. I liked it when she wore white because it looked good against her skin. When she spotted me, she approached the table. I stood up, automatically.
She stood awkwardly in front of me.
Do I hug her?
She waited for me to embrace her, and when I didn’t, she sat down with a frown on her face. I took my seat across from her and cleared my throat.
“You already ordered?” she asked.
“Chai tea latte?” I asked. It’s what she always got.
She nodded. “Thank you.”
I had a black coffee. I never drank anything else.
She sipped it. “It’s good.”
“Yeah.”
“So…was the rest of the gala fun?” she asked.
“Not really,” I said bluntly. “Sean and Scarlet had the worst fight they’ve ever had.”
“I wondered why he slept on the couch.”
“Shit, that is bad.”
“What happened?” she asked.
“Scarlet blew up and said they should get a divorce.”
Her mouth dropped. “What?”
“I know she didn’t mean it. She’s just upset about his mom and the money issue. To be honest, I don’t blame her. Someone can only take that torment for so long, you know?”
“That was still extreme.”
“I know it was.”
She played with the sleeve of her coffee and avoided my gaze. I knew she was nervous. I was nervous too. I wondered why she wanted to get coffee today. Did she have something she wanted to say to me?
“Cortland, I miss you,” she blurted. “A
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