Read Online Ultimate Fear (Book 2 Ultimate CORE) (CORE Series) by Kristine Mason - Free Book Online
Authors: Kristine Mason
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on her part. She couldn’t expect Dante to maintain their marital vows when she’d been the one to walk away from their marriage.
“If this is your way of telling me you’re seeing someone or want to—” She suddenly remembered the new recruit he’d been training. Lola . She’d briefly met the petite, gorgeous young girl with perky boobs and exotic eyes when she’d stopped by CORE to drop off a belated baby shower gift for Rachel. “I thought Ian didn’t encourage interoffice dating.”
Frowning, he shoved off the wall. “What are you talking about?”
“ Lola .” She should stop. Shut her mouth, go into the garden and leave. Who he dated was none of her business. Only they were still legally married, and in her mind, selfish or not, if he was dating, it was her business. “She’s a little young, don’t you think?”
“First, I’m not interested in Lola. Second, we’re only twelve years apart.”
“Right, so when she was in middle school, you were twenty-four.” She wrinkled her nose. “Has creeper written all over it when you think about it that way, huh?”
“You’re being ridiculous.”
“Maybe.”
“Actually, you sound jealous.”
Damn it, she did. “I’m not,” she lied. “I just don’t want to see you make a fool of yourself.”
“A fool of myself,” he muttered, and walked to the back door. “I think anyone who knows our situation would probably think I was a fool for waiting on you. So what’s the difference? And I told you, I’m not interested in Lola.”
I was a fool for waiting on you…
Her jealousy morphed into guilt. For nearly six years she hadn’t lived up to her part in their marriage. For the past three years, she’d had the divorce papers sitting on top of her microwave waiting to be signed. Every time she’d think she was ready to sign them and officially end their marriage, she’d come up with an excuse to avoid the inevitable. And there’d been many excuses, but only one true reason. She was still in love with her husband.
When he opened the back door, she reached for him, but curled her hand into a fist and pulled away before making contact. She had to let him go and allow him to move on with his life. He might not be interested in Lola, and she might’ve given him a shot about his age, but he was still young. He could meet someone new, start a family…be happy without her dragging him down.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her guilt now turning to anger. She should have signed those divorce papers the moment she’d received them, instead of allowing them to hang over her head like a black cloud. And Dante should have opened his mouth and given her an ultimatum. Come home or finalize the divorce. “I’ll take care of the divorce papers when I get home tonight.”
Chuckling, he faced her, but there was no humor in his eyes, only disappointment. “Really? Why now?”
“If you’re not interested in Lola, I’m assuming there’s someone else.”
“Why would you assume that?”
“Because you brought up dating.”
“Because I wanted to know if you were dating, not because I wanted to.”
“So you’re not seeing someone?” she asked, and almost wished that was the case. Otherwise they could wind up in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest separation ever. Without prodding, those divorce papers would remain on top of her microwave collecting dust. Officially ending their marriage would devastate her. Dante might be a human memento, but he was her sole connection to their missing daughter. He was the only person who understood and shared her pain.
“No. Do you want to know why?”
“I’d rather drop the subject altogether.” She needed to go home and check Rachel’s program. Hell, she needed to be alone in her crappy apartment where she could distance herself from him and any thoughts of working at their marriage. They couldn’t go back to the way things were, and she didn’t know if she could ever move forward
“If this is your way of telling me you’re seeing someone or want to—” She suddenly remembered the new recruit he’d been training. Lola . She’d briefly met the petite, gorgeous young girl with perky boobs and exotic eyes when she’d stopped by CORE to drop off a belated baby shower gift for Rachel. “I thought Ian didn’t encourage interoffice dating.”
Frowning, he shoved off the wall. “What are you talking about?”
“ Lola .” She should stop. Shut her mouth, go into the garden and leave. Who he dated was none of her business. Only they were still legally married, and in her mind, selfish or not, if he was dating, it was her business. “She’s a little young, don’t you think?”
“First, I’m not interested in Lola. Second, we’re only twelve years apart.”
“Right, so when she was in middle school, you were twenty-four.” She wrinkled her nose. “Has creeper written all over it when you think about it that way, huh?”
“You’re being ridiculous.”
“Maybe.”
“Actually, you sound jealous.”
Damn it, she did. “I’m not,” she lied. “I just don’t want to see you make a fool of yourself.”
“A fool of myself,” he muttered, and walked to the back door. “I think anyone who knows our situation would probably think I was a fool for waiting on you. So what’s the difference? And I told you, I’m not interested in Lola.”
I was a fool for waiting on you…
Her jealousy morphed into guilt. For nearly six years she hadn’t lived up to her part in their marriage. For the past three years, she’d had the divorce papers sitting on top of her microwave waiting to be signed. Every time she’d think she was ready to sign them and officially end their marriage, she’d come up with an excuse to avoid the inevitable. And there’d been many excuses, but only one true reason. She was still in love with her husband.
When he opened the back door, she reached for him, but curled her hand into a fist and pulled away before making contact. She had to let him go and allow him to move on with his life. He might not be interested in Lola, and she might’ve given him a shot about his age, but he was still young. He could meet someone new, start a family…be happy without her dragging him down.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her guilt now turning to anger. She should have signed those divorce papers the moment she’d received them, instead of allowing them to hang over her head like a black cloud. And Dante should have opened his mouth and given her an ultimatum. Come home or finalize the divorce. “I’ll take care of the divorce papers when I get home tonight.”
Chuckling, he faced her, but there was no humor in his eyes, only disappointment. “Really? Why now?”
“If you’re not interested in Lola, I’m assuming there’s someone else.”
“Why would you assume that?”
“Because you brought up dating.”
“Because I wanted to know if you were dating, not because I wanted to.”
“So you’re not seeing someone?” she asked, and almost wished that was the case. Otherwise they could wind up in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest separation ever. Without prodding, those divorce papers would remain on top of her microwave collecting dust. Officially ending their marriage would devastate her. Dante might be a human memento, but he was her sole connection to their missing daughter. He was the only person who understood and shared her pain.
“No. Do you want to know why?”
“I’d rather drop the subject altogether.” She needed to go home and check Rachel’s program. Hell, she needed to be alone in her crappy apartment where she could distance herself from him and any thoughts of working at their marriage. They couldn’t go back to the way things were, and she didn’t know if she could ever move forward
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