Never Doubt Me: Judge Me Not #2(74)

“Yeah?” she prompts.

“Well, I had a little meet and greet with your ex-boyfriend. That’s why I was so late in coming home, that’s why you couldn’t reach me. I turned off my phone before I left work to go talk with Doug.”

“What’d you say to him?” she wants to know.

“I told him he’d better stay away from you—or else.” I hold her gaze. “And let’s just say, I made sure he got the message loud and clear.”

Again, I let her believe the worst-case scenario by not elaborating. Let her think I kicked that preppy motherf*cker’s ass up and down f*cking Market Street. She doesn’t need to know I only intimidated him.

To my surprise, though, Kay responds vehemently…to both my indiscretions.

“I don’t care what you did to Doug. And I don’t care about some junkie getting his ass kicked.” She juts out her chin, defiant to the end. “Maybe that makes me more like you than you’d like to admit, Chase Gartner.”

“No, baby girl.” I shake my head. “You are nothing like me.”

And that’s the point where she chokes back a sob. “It doesn’t matter. None of it matters. I can live with what you did, what you may do in the future, but what’s killing me is that you kept those things from me. We don’t keep secrets, Chase, it’s not…us.”

My chest constricts as I take a deep breath, and then I drive the final nail in the coffin. “Kay, I’ve been living a lie all along, and you don’t even see it. Face it: you’re good, and I…am not.”

“Stop it,” she begs, her voice cracking, tears flowing down her cheeks. “Don’t say stuff like that. It’s not true.”

I am the world’s biggest dick right now, but I have to ensure Kay remains out of danger. And that, unfortunately, means she needs to stay the f*ck away from me.

“You shouldn’t want to be with me,” I say matter-of-factly.

“But I do want to be with you,” she cries. “That’s why I said I’d marry you. That’s why we’re engaged, Chase. Don’t tell me that means nothing.”

I raise a questioning eyebrow, and that does it.

Her face falls. “You’re an ass,” she hisses.

My continued silence is the final straw. She narrows her eyes at me, turns, and stomps out of the bedroom, the slamming door punctuating her disgust with me.

The silence that follows is positively deafening. I’ve succeeded in pushing Kay away, yeah, but at what cost?





Epilogue


Lead in to Just Let Me Love You (Judge Me Not #3)

Kay

Chase comes down the steps a few minutes following my angry departure from the bedroom. I’m still pissed at him, which is why I’m standing at the front door, contemplating whether I should leave.

My ire lets up a bit, though, when I see the suitcase in his hand. I lean back against the wall by the door, but my eyes can’t meet his.

This is really happening. Chase is really doing this. He’s truly leaving without me by his side.

I’m still a little surprised he kept those particular secrets from me, but the initial sting has subsided. I knew he was holding stuff back. I didn’t press, just allowed myself to believe he had his reasons. It’s my fault as much as his that he kept that stuff buried. I should have made him fess up sooner.

But it doesn’t really matter, not anymore. I know the truth now. Or rather, I know what he wants me to think is the truth. I know Chase, though. And there’s no way those wounds on his hand were caused from hitting a person. He hit something inanimate that night. Of that, I have no doubt. As for what happened with Doug, all I know is that whatever Chase did, it kept my ex away from me. That makes his actions justified in my eyes. Plus, how can I be angry? I did nothing to discourage him from seeking out Doug. Truthfully, I knew in my heart the day I told Chase of Doug’s intentions to apologize to me that he would take action. And he did. So I am as culpable as he.

I have to admit, though, when Chase arched his eyebrow at me, questioningly, at the mention of our engagement, I was shocked and hurt. And I’m still bristling. I mean, what the hell did that arched eyebrow mean? That we’re not really engaged, or that being engaged means nothing.

Chase nears where I’m standing. He sets his suitcase on the floor. I glance his way. His eyes hold a million apologies. But I know no matter how sorry he is, he is not going to bend. He’s not going to take me to Las Vegas with him.

I glance away, and he says softly, “Kay.”

I don’t respond, but he’s not deterred. He comes to me and wraps his arms around me.

“Don’t,” I snap, twisting away.

“Come on, baby girl,” he soothes. “Don’t leave it like this.”

I resist meeting his blues, but his fingers find my chin, and I have no choice but to look up at him.

His eyes hold nothing but truth, sincerity, and remorse. “I’m sorry, Kay,” he says. “I’m sorry I kept secrets. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

I cave a little.

“Did you really beat the junkie?”

“What do you think?” he asks.

“No.”

“And Doug?”

“Just talked to him.”

“I wouldn’t have cared if you beat him, not for his sake. But I’m glad you didn’t, for yours.”