Page 83 of Sacred

No, I don’t know this man at all.

The sad part is, I thought I did. Even worse?

This is all my fault. The only reason this stranger now stands before me is because I’m a fucking idiot of the highest order.

His gaze bores through me while I struggle to remain upright on my knees. He slowly shakes his head and I know this is it. The end of my perfection.

Self-inflicted.

He doesn’t release his grip on my hair. “You…stupid…fucking…idiot,” he slowly says, emphasizing each word. “Do you know how damned risky that is? He’s married to awoman. You and I get caught fucking around, it’s a few snickers and bad jokes, but we’remarried, asshole. To eachother. Do you realize you two getting caught would mean the end of not only his career and marriage, but your career,andmine?”

Wait…what?

Because there’ssomethingin his tone, and it’s no longer…rage?

A soft chuff floats from him over what must be a shocked look in my eyes, but there’s no humor in his smile. “I’m not divorcing you, Liam. I love you, you stupid sonofabitch. And technically, you didn’t cheat on me. I gave you a hall-pass fuck, and you took it. Yes, you were supposed to give me a heads-up, but under the circumstances, while I’m still angry about it, I can understand the whys of what happened. No, I’ll never get to tap Ryan Reynolds’ ass, I’m certain, so I’m going to change my hall-pass fuck answer, give up my fantasies about Ryan, and switch to a different horse.”

I struggle to remember to breathe, because…this doesn’t feel like certain annihilation. This almost feels like…

Hope?

His gaze grows even colder, if that’s possible. “Don’t youeverfucking lie to me again, understand me?”

“Yes.”

He slaps me again. “You love him?”

Tears roll down my cheeks. “Yes.”

Slap.“You stillinlove with him?”

“Yes.”

Slap. I’ll take any- and everything he wants to dish out, and then some.

I deserve it.

“Are you still in love with me?”

I blink, confused. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

He shakes me with the fist in my hair. “Answer the fucking question, Liam.”

“Yes, I’m still in love with you. I love you, and I want to make this right.”

“You ever cheated on me in the past?”

“No, I swear. Since that night we first met, I’ve only ever been with you.”

His gaze darkens. “Until now.”

I swallow back a sour taste in my throat. “Until now,” I whisper.

“You’re going to do whatever I say to make this right?”

“Anything!”

“You don’t get to fuck him again right now.”