Page 18 of My Destiny

“Thank God,” he says. “I’ve been going out of my mind.”

His arms are outstretched as he approaches me. If he thinks I’m going to let him put his hands on me, he’s in for a rude shock. “Don’t,” I say, holding my hand out in front of me.

“Don’t what?” he asks as his arms drop down by his side.

“Don’t touch me.”

I see his facial expression turn from confused to angry as I sidestep him and continue towards the house.

“Hey,” he snaps, following me into the front foyer. “What’s your problem?”

“My problem? That’s rich, coming from you,” I say as I head towards the stairs.

“You’re angry at me?” He grabs hold of my arm and swings me around before getting up in my face. “You’re the one who left last night, and then disappeared for twenty-four hours. So, tell me, Brooke, where the fuck have you been?”

How dare he speak to me like that after what he has been doing behind my back?

“I saw you last night, Jake. I saw you with that woman.” I feel tears sting my eyes, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

“What woman?” Although he’s playing dumb, the fact that his face just dropped and all the colour drained from it tells me he knows exactly what woman I’m referring to.

“The blonde in the blue dress.”

“What?”

“The one you were kissing.” His unwillingness to even acknowledge what he’s done only infuriates me more. “Let go of me,” I say, pushing on his chest. “You disgust me.”

“Brooke, baby,” he pleads. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“You’re a piece of work. You don’t remember having her pushed up against the wall last night?”

“It wasn’t like that, I swear.”

“It wasn’t just a peck, Jake. You were all over each other. And if you try to tell me differently, I’ll… I’ll punch you.” Never in my life have I been so mad. We’ve had a few arguments over the years, but it’s never been this volatile.

“You’re reading too much into this.”

I shake my head in a combination of disbelief and repulsion. Does he think I’m stupid? “I have eyes, Jake. I know exactly what I saw. All those late nights and weekends you claimed to be working, you were with her, weren’t you?” His silence speaks volumes. “Well, you know what,” I say, as tears fill my eyes, “she can have you.”

“Brooke.” He reaches for my arm again, but I manage to turn away before he grabs hold.

“I want a divorce, Jake.”

I only make it up the first step before he grabs hold of me again and pins me against the wall. “You’re kidding, right?”

“I do. I’m done with you. I should’ve known better than to get involved with a lawyer; you’re all the same.”

“I’m nothing like your father.”

“You’re right, you’re worse.”

His fingers splay across my collar bones, as his hand rests at the base of my neck, but I stare him down. I’m not afraid of him.

“You don’t mean that.”