Page 68 of Salvage Him

"Yeah," he answered his phone on thefirstring.

"Hi. Where are you?" Iasked.

"At the airport, on my way to Boston,” heanswered.

Inodded.

"How long will you be inBoston?"

"A couple of days, then New York for a week." His annoyed tone hurt myheart.

"Oh, you'll be in New York?" Iasked.

"That's what I said, Brooke. Listen, I'll be home at the end ofnextweek."

"I'm in New York."Isaid.

"What?Why?"

"I wanted to get out of Texas for aminute."

"What about the house?" heasked.

"Everything's on schedule. They won't miss me for afewdays."

Hesighed.

I cringed. I closed my eyes and waited for him to start in on thelecture.

When he remained silent, I spoke. "I need to talk to you. It'simportant."

"Where are you staying?" heasked.

"StanhopeHotel."

"I should have guessed." He sighed again. "I'll see you onFriday."

I hung up the phone, and thetearsfell.

My entire world had turned upside down, and I had been living with it for four years. I was exhausted and done. I had pretended for years, and it left me drained. Instead of sobbing into my pillow, I pulled myself up and shuffled into the bathroom. The dark wood made me feel warm, and it contrasted beautifully with the stark white tub. I turned on the water to fill the tub and stripped off myclothes.

I had winced from my sore assallday.

I turned my back to the full-length mirror on the far wall. The welts from Harrison's hands were faint but visible. They brought a smile to my tear-stainedface.

It was both of us; we allowed something so beautiful to happen between us while neither of us was in a position to give in to what we truly wanted. My Dom tohissub.

I slid in the tub. The hot water seep into my bones. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes and continued to cry. Soft, silent tears in tribute to the end of my marriage. Tears for the years I wasted denying my truenature.

When Paul tried to play Dom with me the other day, I wondered if I would have been more receptive before meeting Harrison. Would I have allowed him to dominate me? I knew he wasn't a true Dom, but could I havetaughthim?

Was I giving up on him and our marriage because it was what I wanted or because ofHarrison?

I didn't know the answer, but I needed to figure it out . . . beforeFriday.

Paul arrivedat the hotel on the Upper East Side. I arranged to have dinner served in our room in the formal dining area. The staff set up a beautiful china place settings. Wine chilled in a bucket and preparation for the steak and lobster meal sat onacart.

The scene was a little too romantic. Not an appropriate setting to tell your husband you wereleavinghim.