Bereft (Seven Year Itch #2)(22)

I drove fast, not even stopping when my gas light flickered on. My wife was hurting, and I was the only person who could help alleviate what she was feeling. I needed her to believe me. I needed her to still love me.

I never expected to pull up to the house and see a car in the driveway, a Porsche at that. The tags were registered to a D.C. address, so I figured it was someone she worked with. Maybe she’d asked a girlfriend to come stay with her while she went through hell. Maybe she needed the support of a friend.

I used my key to open the door. It was quiet and dark when I entered into the foyer. I sat my keys down on the small side table and went to turn on the light. When I did I got the shock of my life. A male, maybe a bit older than my daughter, was standing in front of me. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m assuming you’re the husband?”

“You’re damn right I am.”

“She doesn’t want to see you.”

“Look, I don’t know who you are, but you need to tell me where my wife is.” I glanced up the stairs and yelled for her. “Rachel!”

I could hear her walking around, so I turned my attention back to the guy. He was shirtless, his hair disheveled on top his head. “Who are you?”

“A friend.”

“Of who? Do you know Stephanie?”

“No. I’m a friend of Rachel. Now, I’m telling you, it’s best if you leave. She’s had a rough night.”

“I know. I heard. That’s why I’m here.”

“Grayson?” I heard my wife ask. “What are you doing here?”

“I live here.”

The look on her face said it all. “I want you to leave. As you can see I’m fine.”

“You heard the lady,” the young man added.

I wasn’t taking shit from some young buck. “What are you doing in my house? Who are you? Are you f*cking my wife now? Is that what this is? Are you paying me back?”

“You would think that,” she uttered.

“I want to know.”

“She asked you to leave, dude.”

I shoved the kid back. “Stay out of it. I don’t know who you are, but you need to be on your way. This is between me and my wife.”

I turned back to Rachel, only to feel him shoving me this time. “What the…”

“Grayson, please. Don’t do this. I asked him to stay.”

“I don’t give a shit.” I pointed to the guy. “Get out now. I’m serious. One of us is leaving, and it isn’t me.”

“He’s not going anywhere. I want him to stay. You’re the one who needs to leave.”

“It’s been a few days. How could you replace me so soon? What’s gotten into you? This isn’t you talking. You wouldn’t be so careless.” Anger filled me. I didn’t know what my wife was up to, but I wasn’t going to allow her to push me away for another. If this was her revenge she knew exactly where to stab me. “Please. I just want to talk.”

The guy took me by the arm, in my own house. I shook from his hold, turning around and swinging with all my might. “Don’t touch me! Keep your hands off me.”

Rachel rushed to his side, staring up at me with tear-filled eyes. “You need to go. I don’t want to see you. You did this, not me. I’m just trying to cope the best way I know how. You have no right to tell me what to do anymore. You lost that when you slept with Kyla. She says you’re not over, so go be with her, because I certainly don’t want you anymore.” Her words were like a sheet of glass, shattering all around me. She’d changed her appearance, her hair was shorter, and it was obvious she’d been wearing makeup. A man half my age was apparently sleeping over. Were they involved? Did she run right into his arms? How long had they known each other?

This was all my fault.

What had I done to my beautiful wife? Had I caused her to make unjustly decisions just to get me back? Was this guy even a friend of hers to begin with?

“Rachel, please. Don’t say that.”

Her friend was starting to stand up. She stayed at his side. I shook my head and back stepped toward the door. “This is what you want?” I pointed to him.

She nodded. “Just go. I can’t stand to look at you. You’ve made your bed, now go lie in it. I told you before, I’m not able to forgive you.”

“Well, I can’t forgive you either.”

“Screw you, Grayson. You ended our commitment to each other the moment you put your dick inside of another woman. You did this – all of it. Leave, before I say what I really want you to hear.” She looked right into my eyes. “You know what, I don’t even care how this feels for you. I.WANT.A.DIVORCE!”

It was the last blow. She’d crushed me. Whoever the guy was, she obviously preferred his company instead of mine. I’d been her everything, and now I was like the garbage she wanted out of the kitchen. Nothing could mend her heart. Her mind was made up. If it hadn’t been before, Kyla had made sure of it.

I’d ruined my life for meaningless sex. Aside from probably going to Hell, I’d lost hope of mending my marriage. Maybe it was too soon to push. Maybe I should have stayed away.

Maybe I should have done a lot of things differently.

I had to face the facts. My marriage was over, and there was nothing I could do to change it now.