Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 92368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“You were playing games?”
He shakes his head, his eyes never leaving mine. “Fighting for you, Dove.”
“Yeah, well, why don’t you save your energy and stop fighting for me and go see Mindi, your perky tennis player? You won’t have to fight at all for her, if her text was anything to go by.”
Fucking fuck. Me and my big mouth.
“You read my text?” He doesn’t seem angry. More like amused.
And that annoys the hell out of me.
“I saw it by accident.”
“Mmhmm.” He’s nodding. A smile playing on his gorgeous lips. Lips that I could quite happily punch right now.
I’m feeling irritated and jealous, and I want to hurt him.
“Have you had sex with her since you’ve been with me?”
His smile drops, anger diluting his features, and I keep going because I know I’m getting the desired effect. And, also, because I don’t care right now.
“Because I want to know if I need to get tested, considering you and I have had sex without a condom—twice.”
His jaw tightens. “I get physicals on the regular, including tests for any diseases or infections, but you already know that. And the last time I had sex before you was about five months ago, and I’ve been checked since then. I always used condoms on the rare occasions that I had sex with other women. You’re the only person I’ve ever gone unprotected with. What about you?”
I rear back. “What about me?”
“Well, you were screwing Deputy Dick. Maybe you still are. Did you use condoms, or do I need to get myself tested?”
I’ve never hit anyone in my life. Never. But I want to hit him right now.
But I won’t. Because that’s not who I am.
But I am a bitch. And I will hurt him in other ways that I know I can. Rightly or wrongly.
Not taking my eyes off Zeus, I reach behind me and grab one of his boxing trophies. Then, I throw it at the wall to my left with all my might. I hear the crack as it hits the wall and then the thud as it drops to the floor.
“Feel better?” he asks without a shred of emotion.
“No,” I snap.
“So, break them all.” He lifts a shoulder, taking a step toward me. “Tear the whole fucking place up, if it’ll make you feel better. Do whatever you need to, so we can get past this and move forward.”
I let out a bitter-sounding laugh. “You just don’t get it, Zeus. There is no moving forward because I can’t forgive you!”
The next thing I know, he’s in front of me, grabbing my face in his hands. “There has to be because I love you so fucking much.” The raw emotion in his eyes and voice tears at me. “I know you love me, Cam. I know I’m not alone in this. We’re the real fucking deal. Our love is what most people spend a lifetime searching for and never find. Don’t throw us away, please.”
“I didn’t throw us away,” I whisper brokenly. “You did.”
“Fuck, Cam.” He presses his forehead to mine. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. Just forgive me, please. Because I can’t spend my life without you.”
He’s surrounding me. His scent, his heat, his emotion.
I can barely breathe, let alone think straight.
I step out of his hold, needing space.
His hands drop to his sides. His head lowers. He looks beaten.
I wrap my arms around myself. “Did you text her back?” I whisper.
His eyes lift to mine. “Yes.”
A sound of anguish escapes me.
“I told her that my circumstances had changed,” he’s quick to say. “I said that I couldn’t see her anymore.”
I resent the relief I feel. “Why?”
“Why do you think?”
I lift my palms up.
“Because I’m not available, Dove. I haven’t been since I was seventeen years old.”
A pained laugh escapes me. “Yet you had sex with her five months ago.”
“You slept with Deputy Dick.”
“Because you left me!” I yell.
And, around and around, we go.
Zeus drags his hand over his head and down to the back of his neck, and he sighs. “I was lonely,” he says quietly. “I was trying to fill the void of you. Not that it ever worked. But that’s all it ever was. All it ever could be. Because I could never get over you.”
The longing and aching in his eyes is too much for me to bear.
I turn away and walk over to the now broken trophy. I crouch next to it and pick it up, instantly realizing which trophy I broke.
His first ever boxing trophy.
God, I’m a terrible person.
“I’m sorry,” I say, standing back up, holding the two pieces in my hands. The boxing glove has broken off. The boot is still attached to the base. “Do you have glue?” I ask. “I can try to fix it.”
“It’s fine.”
“No, I should be able to fix it,” I continue. I lift it up, turning it over to see if the glove will reattach.