Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78977 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78977 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
“I’m so sorry—”
“I don’t want to hear it.” He grabbed his wallet and phone and marched out of the bedroom.
I ran after him, in just my t-shirt. “Let me explain—”
“Oh, you’ve explained enough.” As he walked down the hallway, he deliberately knocked over a vase of flowers so it would shatter onto the floor. He knocked paintings off the wall, pictures of us from our wedding day. He demolished everything in his path on the way to the door.
I ran after him. “It just came out. I didn’t mean it.”
He turned around at the doorway, looking at me as if I was an opponent in the ring. “I accepted the fact that you had feelings for him, that you still loved him, but I don’t accept this goddamn bullshit. I don’t think about anyone else when I’m with you, so how dare you—”
“I wasn’t thinking about him. It just came out—”
“I’ve fucked women in the ass, chained them to my bed, had more threesomes than I can count—but I don’t think about that shit with you. I only think about you.” He pointed his finger in my face, his hand shaking uncontrollably. “Yeah, I fucked up in the past, but I didn’t do this. Go fuck yourself, Anna.”
Tears streamed down my face. “Liam, please don’t go.”
He ripped the front door open and stormed out.
“Liam!”
He reached the sidewalk, crossed the street, and then disappeared down an alleyway.
I was in only my t-shirt, so I couldn’t chase after him. But even if I did, I knew it wouldn’t make a difference. He was too far gone…and I was the only one to blame.
25
Damien
“What do you think about the first guy?” I sat beside Hades in the first row of the fight. We’d spent the evening examining all the different fighters we could recruit next. There were some good ones, but none like Liam.
Hades shook his head. “No.”
“The third guy in the death match?”
He shook his head again. “He got lucky because the other guy tripped.”
It looked like we were out of ideas. We made a couple bets and paid up with the ring announcers before we left the basement. We got into the industrial elevator and rose to the casino floor.
It’d been over a week since Annabella and I had last spoken, and I was doing my best to respect her wishes and leave her alone. I did my best to persuade her, but it was pointless. She’d made up her mind, and I couldn’t make her go back on her word. She was too honorable—and that made me want her more.
The doors opened to the casino floor, and we passed the poker tables, the sounds of chips in play audible. The closer we got to the bar, the more we could hear the music from the speakers. Women danced in cages, and topless women carried trays of drinks to customers.
“You want to get a drink?” I asked.
Hades shook his head. “No. Sofia was pretty pissed at me when I smelled like scotch the other night.”
“Since when did she start caring about your drinking problem?”
“Since I went in for a checkup and found out I have high blood pressure and liver damage.”
“Oh shit…”
“It’s not a big deal, but Sofia flipped out. Started crying…said I won’t live long enough to see our sons grow up.”
“Her concerns are valid. I’ll make sure you stay sober.”
“I guess I shouldn’t have told you.”
I glanced at the bar because I thought I saw a familiar face. The guy looked just like Liam, but it couldn’t be him because he wouldn’t be here at midnight…and he wouldn’t have his arm around some other woman.
Hades noticed my sudden change in mood and followed my gaze. “That looks like Liam.”
“It does.” I stopped walking and continued to stare. “But it can’t be.”
Hades stood beside me, his arms crossed over his chest. “No, that’s him.”
“Then what the fuck is he doing?”
“No fucking clue.”
I headed to the bar with Hades behind me. I moved past the line of stools until I reached him. He stood beside a woman in a short dress with his arm around her waist. His hand reached down, and he gripped one ass cheek. “What the fuck are you doing?” I was angry, but I was mostly delirious. My mind couldn’t process what I was looking at. Annabella said she wouldn’t leave him, so there was no way he was there as a single man.
He turned at the sound of my voice, the smile on his face showing how drunk he was. “Hey, it’s my boys.” He reached his hand out to shake mine.
I pulled away. “Liam, what are you doing?”
Hades stood there, still as a statue.
“What do you mean?” Liam asked. “I’m having a drink with…” He turned to the woman he was still holding. “Sorry, sweetheart, what’s your name again?”