Page 8 of Deliverance

“That I hit you,” she continues. “I was upset, and I took it out on you.”

I don’t react for a moment before I turn back to my food.

“I know.”

I can see out of the corner of my eye that she frowns like she expects me to do or say something else. I don’t see a point in it, though. Life is too short to hold onto shit like that. One minute you’re here, the next you’re gone. Nothing is guaranteed, so you might as well live it doing and being whatever the fuck makes you happy. For me, that means not holding grudges, that shit is like toxic sludge holding you back from the best version of you.

“I’m sorry too,” I say. “I shouldn’t have called you out like that in front of all those people.”

She shrugs a shoulder and lets out a bitter laugh. “You weren’t wrong.”

I flatten my mouth and nod. I know I’m not. Everyone does. She hasn’t exactly given herself a good reputation when it comes to Asher Putnam. She’s basically the president of his fan club and the first to cut a bitch’s throat if it means earning his favor. I’d love to know what the dude has done to earn such a loyal following. Is it because of who his father is? Who he will be one day? Or does he have a magical cock or something? I’d rather not find out that last part, but you know, a girl has to wonder after a certain point.

“Margret, I?—”

“Maggie,” I say, interrupting her. “The only person that calls me Margret is my mother and I…it’s Maggie,” I say.

Bridgette stays quiet for a moment before she nods.

“Okay, Maggie.”

I nod as I take my last bite of food.

“What’s your mom like? I mean, I’ve only been around her a handful of times,” she asks, though I have a feeling that wasn’t the original thing she was going to say.

I glance at her, sorry that I don’t have better news about her new stepmommy.

“A selfish narcissist. Your dad?”

“An egotistical megalomaniac,” she answers.

“Match made in hell,” I tease, Bridgette responding with a surprisingly loud laugh.

“No shit.”

The air feels weird. It’s tense, but it’s not. It’s not the tension we’ve been living with for the last few days since the wedding. No, this is raw, vulnerable. Like some strange kind of common ground has been found, and I don’t really know if I like it. So, I do what I do best and retreat.

Standing up, I carry my dish into the sink before grabbing my phone and heading up to my room.

“Maid will be here in an hour,” I say as I turn the corner and head for the stairs.

She doesn’t say anything, probably because there is nothing left to say. When I get to my room, I find Tatiana getting dressed.

“Morning.” She smiles shyly.

I give her a smile and lean in, pressing a kiss to her lips.

“Morning, beautiful. Did you sleep okay?”

“When did we sleep?” She laughs.

I grin at that. There wasn’t much of it.

“I have to get going, but…call me?” she asks shyly.

I pull her in for one more kiss before nodding.

“You can count on it.”