King's Reign (Sydney Storm MC #6)(12)

“You really wanna go down that path? Because if you do, I’ve got a whole heap of stuff to get off my chest concerning the work we were doing on our marriage. And none of it has anything to do with King, so let’s just leave him out of this, okay?”

“No, let’s fucking not. He hasn’t been here for you the last few days. Not like I have been. So I have no clue why you’d even look at him, let alone wanna be with him. And what about the fact you just stood by while I told him we were together? Are you playing both of us?”

He had my blood boiling now. It was as if all the sadness and worry I felt collided with my frustration and irritation, causing the perfect storm of anger. “Have I ever played you, Linc?” I yelled. “Have I ever been anything but supportive of you? God, you make me so freaking mad some days I could scream at you for hours. I’m sorry you got the wrong end of the stick about us, but I honestly didn’t say anything to make you assume I wanted you back. For the record, I will never take you back. You broke my heart when you cheated on me, and I could never trust you enough again to be with you. And as for King, what I do with him is none of your business.”

His lip pulled up in a snarl. “It is if it affects my kids.”

My eyes widened and I went at him with a ferocity I didn’t know I had in me. “Do not threaten me. You will not like the outcome if you do. I’ve worked hard to keep our relationship civil. You wanna threaten me? I won’t give a fuck about civil.”

He leaned closer to me and yelled, “Fuck you, Lily. You think you’re above me, but you aren’t. Just because you went and got yourself an education while I stayed home with the kids doesn’t mean you’re any fucking better than me.”

This was an old argument of ours. Linc had never moved past the insecurities he had over me earning more than him. And while I’d studied for my degree, he’d spent most of the time bitching about me being away from the family. If it had been any other day, I would have walked away at this point, but it wasn’t. It was today, and he’d pushed me too far. “I’ve never thought I was better than you. That’s your hang-up, not mine. I don’t care what people do for a living or whether they’ve got an education. All I’m interested in is whether they care about those they love, and you proved that you don’t. You can stand there and tell me you love me and that you wanna be together again, but your actions speak a lot louder than your words. I don’t care about words or promises anymore, Linc. I don’t even hear them. I hear actions.”

Steam practically billowed from him he was that angry. Huffing out a shitty breath, he backed away and snapped, “Fine, you wanna be like that, I’m done here. I’m out. You can fucking sort your own shit out.” He stared at me for a few beats, like he was waiting for me to change my mind. When I said nothing, he shook his head angrily at me and stalked inside.

I took a minute. He had me all worked up that I shook with the adrenaline coursing through me. Sagging against the wall, I got my breathing under control while I thought about our argument. It struck me how easily he turned on me. He turned mean. That definitely wasn’t a characteristic I wanted in a man I gave my heart to.

Following him back inside, I found him telling Holly he would drive them to school this morning but he wouldn’t be here when they got home this afternoon.

Robbie and Zara were in their bedrooms so I went back to mine. The less time around Linc, the better. My phone sounded with a text as I walked through the bedroom door.



Skylar: Hey Lily. Just checking in on you to see how you are. I’m thinking of you.



My heart sped up as I read the message. I couldn’t think of Skylar without thinking of King.



Me: Thanks babe. I’m okay.



She’d been texting me every day since Brynn was shot. In a short amount of time, I’d grown to adore her. Kinda like how I’d fallen for her brother in a crazy short time.

She didn’t send another text. She rang instead.

“I really doubt you’re okay,” she said when I answered the phone. “Give it to me straight. We’re friends now, and friends don’t bullshit each other.”

I smiled, and for the first time in days, it was a genuinely happy smile. Funny how those who truly cared about us could do that for us even when we were going through something that had no joy in it. “I’m not okay, but I kinda am if that makes sense. I’ve got some really good people around me, including you, and that makes things so much better.”

“Good. Now, I’ve organised some home-cooked meals for you with the girls here. They’ve all pitched in and cooked a heap of casseroles and stuff for you guys. I’m going to ask King to drop them over late this afternoon. Will you be home?”

A new wave of emotion overwhelmed me and tears streamed down my face. How was I so lucky to have people like Skylar looking out for me? I squeezed my hand tighter around the phone as I tried to talk through my tears. “You’re amazing,” I choked out. “Thank you.”

“Oh shit, I’m sorry I made you cry.”

I dashed the tears away. “They’re good tears, I promise. And besides, I cry far more at the moment than I don’t, so this isn’t anything unusual.”

She was quiet for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice softened. “How’s your sister?”