Page 117 of Lust & Lies

I hadn’t factored Julian into my plans when I’d put this entire scheme together. I didn’t have an answer ready for her.

“Do I?” she asked when I took too long to answer.

“He’s a business associate. You’ve met him before. But, I wouldn’t call him a friend.”

Sorry, Julian. I’ve got to throw you under the bus.

“You two sure sounded friendly on the phone.”

“I mean... we’re associates. We talk business. That’s it.”

“Do you hang out outside of work?”

To lie or not to lie?I was trying to stop lying to her.Truth it was.

“Yes,” I admitted.

“Then you’re friends. Have I ever hung out with him?”

“You haven’t.”

“So, he’s your friend, not mine. Is that why he thinks I hate him?”

“He was joking, love.”

“Hmmm....” She turned around in her seat and resumed staring out the window.

Shit. Thanks for nothing, Julian.

I made the U-turn and we drove in silence for a while. But my head was anything but silent. I was trying to think of things to say to her, to ease her anger. I couldn’t think of anything.

My mind drifted back to her crying on the couch. We’d had a good day yesterday. I couldn’t think of anything that could’ve made her cry. Unless...fuck!Why hadn’t I thought of that? That should’ve been my first thought.

I glanced over at Noe, taking in how tense she was. How close she was to the car door. She was trying her best to be as far away from me as possible. She’d gone from hot to cold in no time. Only one thing could’ve caused that.

A memory must’ve returned. And if it made her cry, it had to be one of our darker moments together.Fuck. Her memory wasreturning. And she hadn’t told me, which meant she was plotting something.

Was she plotting to kill me or worse, leave me?Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.I couldn’t keep hiding things from her. That would only add fire to an already flammable situation. I had to tell her today.

“I’m glad we decided to go out for breakfast,” I said, hoping she wouldn’t ignore me.

“Why?” she asked, not looking back.

I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly before speaking.

“Because, I think it’s time we discussed some things from the past.”

She jerked around in her seat. “Oh, really?”

“Really.”

“And what made you come to that conclusion?” she asked.

“Because...” I paused, unsure how I should answer that.

Because I’d watched the woman I love cry alone on a couch in our home.

The estate was supposed to be her happy place. The garden room was supposed to be her haven, a place to relax. Because of me, that room was now the place she went to weep. I didn’t deserve this woman or her love. But damn it, I couldn’t live without it. So I would fight for it until I couldn’t fight anymore.