Page 21

As she arrived home, the sky was a mix of purple and orange. The porch light flickered, and she groaned, remembering she’d asked him to change the damn bulb and it hadn’t gotten done. That was typical, no surprise. She made a mental note to inspect her home and make a list of things to do in her free time. That would surely keep her busy as she sorted her life out.

She eased further into the driveway, put the car in park, already feeling the relief of sinking into her couch. Her moods and energy levels were swinging and today had been a day of overthinking and stressing herself out. She grabbed her things from the backseat, letting out a breath, trying to shake off the lingering heat still clinging to her skin from her encounter with Brooks.

When she turned she was shocked to find Tyree slouched on her front steps, the stench of liquor rolling off him even from a distance. Drunk. Sloppy. Clearly ready to ruin her night.

Her stomach twisted; all the alluring temptation she’d gotten from Brooks flipped into irritation and disgust. The man had lost his wife and instead of doing better, he was reminding her exactly why his time was up.

“Baby,” he slurred, standing unsteadily. “We need to talk.”

“No, we don’t.” She stayed by her car, keeping a distance between them. “I told you we were finished.That means don’t come here at all.”

Taylor was done letting him think he could keep showing up and disturbing her peace. She meant what she said.

They were through.

“Who is it? Who you been giving my pussy to?” He asked, voice dropping to a low rumble.

She was so damn glad it was dark because the grin tugging at her lips would’ve given her away. Or maybe Tyree could smell him on her. The thought only made her laugh. She wasn’t going to cower to him. She was ready to get him gone. Taylor started moving towards her front door and stopped just shy of him.

“Leave before I call the police. And don’t bring your drunk ass back here anymore. This ain’t your home.” She pushed past him, shoulders squared, daring him to test her.

She was done letting people wipe their ass with her kindness. And she wasn’t answering any of his damn questions. She didn’t owe him a thing.

“I said, who is it? And where is my damn car?” Tyree lurched forward, reaching for her. His actions gave Troy from Waiting to Exhale. She was so agitated.

He was too unsteady to catch her, but he tried again, inching closer, his breath thick with liquor and bad decisions. She pulled out her key chain with herpepper spray and taser from her bag. And held it up between them.

“And I said leave.”

Tyree straightened up, finally getting the picture.

“Fine. Just know I did try.”

He hadn’t tried a damn thing but to bring her down with him. Taylor wasn’t playing and he needed togo. She wasn’t in the mood for anything he had to say. She watched him back away until he reached the car waiting across the street. She’d been too preoccupied to notice the out of place vehicle.

She fumbled with the keypad but made it inside. She sighed dropping her purse and keys at the door before sliding the chain lock into place. For a moment, she stood there with her hand lingering on the new deadbolt Brooks had installed.

He’d never hit her, but she hadn’t witnessed him this far gone before. They’d never even talked about divorce or separation. This was new territory for them both and each handling it in different ways. Tyree was reckless, messy, a storm with no direction. She wasn’t going to be swept up with him.

Taylor slipped off her shoes, padding into the kitchen in her house slippers. The wine bottle clinked against her glass as she poured, her hands still shaking slightly. Back in the living room, she peeked through the curtains. The street was empty now, but her heart wouldn’t stop racing.

Sinking into the couch, she turned on the TV and let the tears fall. This wasn’t how her life was supposed to go. Some days, the separation felt like failure. Other days, like freedom. She was finally done fighting for what was already lost. And if she was real with herself, without it, her stolen moments with Brooks wouldn’t exist.

She’d never been this scatterbrained before. She’d never felt this kind of combustion. Not from words. Not from presence alone.

Thinking about him, she smiled. The man was flawless. She knew his stroke was too. His walk told astory all on its own.

She took another sip of wine, forcing her body to calm down. Brooks Bishop was dangerous. Not in the way Tyree had been. Brooks was dangerous because he knew his effect. He didn’t just take what he wanted, didn’t need to. He made you want to give it to him.

She exhaled, trying not to think about how his scent had wrapped around her, how his presence bulldozed over her better judgment. But the moment she felt herself sinking too deep, her phone rang, making her jump.

“Ugh,” Taylor groaned and paused the TV. It was her mother again. She sighed and answered, knowing it was best to just get it over with. She couldn’t keep ignoring and dodging her. That would make her show up and that was not going to work for Taylor.

“Hey Momma.”

“Taylor Marie, I’ve been calling you for days,” her mother’s voice came through the speaker. Taylor sighed because she wasn’t in the mood and didn’t plan on being in the mood anytime soon.

However she loved her mother and knew she was concerned, she was a mother, that’s how it was supposed to be.