Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
I tossed the towel towards him and he caught it. Then I picked up his wet clothes and went to put them in the dryer. The days of him having clothes at my apartment were long gone. I had donated all his things to Goodwill after he went to prison.
When I returned, he was sitting on the couch using one end of the towel to rub his hair. He looked so alive, so at home, so unconcerned, and so damn delicious, I felt anger stir in my blood. What right did he have to come here and restart my suffering?
“What the hell are you doing here?” I frowned down at him.
He looked up, pinning me with those oh so bright blue eyes of his.
“We need to talk, Savannah. We need to get some things out in the open and cleared up now.”
I blinked and my mouth dropped open in shock. “Now? It’s almost midnight and raining cats and dogs in case you haven’t noticed. Pneumonia is not something to play with and you of all people should know⎯” I caught myself just in time before I went on to remind him that he was prone to catching colds. There was no need for him to know I remembered that. It might come across as me actually caring about him and that was a message I had no wish to send.
He grinned ruefully. “I guess there’s no time like the present. If there was a blizzard raging outside, I would probably still be here right now. It’s been gnawing at me all week, Vannah. And now that I have your attention and we don’t seem to be spitting venom at each other, I’m going to make good use of the opportunity.”
My breath caught as he used his special name for me. I sank into an armchair across from him. “What’s there to talk about?”
“For one, I need to get to the bottom of what happened to us four years ago.”
I shuddered at the painful memory of those photos and dropped my head to hide my expression.
“Why did you disappear just like that? Not one visit. Not one court hearing. Not even a phone call. Silence. For four years I’ve been angry with you for abandoning me. Were you with me just because of my financial worth and potential? Was it just my money?”
My head shot up. “Your money? Me after your money? Are you insane, Max? I was under the impression all your money was going to ensure that your sordid secret wasn’t leaked.”
“What sordid secret? I haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about.”
“I guess we’re even then because I haven’t got a clue why you keep trying to make me out to be some sort of gold digger.”
He leaned forward, his eyes piercing. “You abandoned me when I needed you most. What else was I supposed to think? I thought we had something special. And though no vows were said, I thought we would be together for better or worse. My worst came and you jumped ship.”
I sprang to my feet. “You were the one who did the abandoning, Max. You made me look like a fool! Was she worth it?” I crossed my arms and bit my lips as I felt hot tears sting my eyes.
He threw his arms upwards. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“The hell you don’t. I saw the photos, Max. She must have set you up really good for you to steal to pay her off. But I bet you didn’t plan to get caught.”
“Again, with the damn photos. What the fuck are you talking about?” The pitch of his voice had gone up, a sure sign of his annoyance.
I shook my head in disbelief. He was actually going to deny everything and play the innocent. Well, I would annoy him into confessing. “Are you really going to sit there and pretend that you weren’t seeing another woman behind my back?”
“What?” he spat out, his expression incredulous.
I never knew he was such a great actor. I adored him and I thought I knew him inside and out, but how utterly and totally wrong I was. I knew nothing. “So… you weren’t seeing anyone else.”
His face was like thunder. Hell, if I hadn’t seen the photos with my own eyes I would have sworn he was telling the truth.
“Where did this come from?” he demanded angrily. “You’re the only woman I was with at that time. There was no one else.”
“Liar!” I snarled.
“I’ve never lied to you! There was no other woman. Ever,” he raged. “But, since we’re slinging shit around, how about explaining why you dropped me quicker than a hot potato and moved on to more lucrative options as soon as you realized I was in trouble.”
I pressed my hands to my temples and turned away. “Something is not making sense here. I’m confused.”