Blasphemous (Torn #3)(30)

“Bass!” I screeched, halting in my tracks as I registered the desolate look on his face.

Then my eyes dropped to his hand.

Carter’s letter.

He read it. I was processing as I tried to find the best possible answer I could give him, but my mind froze the second I heard him speak.

“Where is the ring?”

“Bass—”

“WHERE. IS. THAT. f*ukING. RING!”

“In my purse,” I finally managed to speak after a good minute of shock.

Bass dashed to the large expanse of the mirrored table that had pull-drawers on the sides where I left my purse sitting atop it. He didn’t even bother to rummage for it Bass just spilled all the contents of my purse until his eyes found the velvet box.

He stared at it like it was a bomb that would explode any second before his hand reached for it, then opened the blasted thing. He made a pained gasp as he saw what it contained. “How long have you had this?” he choked out, barely audible.

“The night before we left on that yacht, island hopping with my friends.”

“Who brought it to you?”

“Trista, but she didn’t know what was in it until I opened the present,” I shakily whispered, my chest heaving like I was going to run out of air. “We did it together,” I added.

“You didn’t return it to him in London?” His tone was so calm, like he was trying to solve a puzzle, that I was having a hard time gauging his temperament.

“I tried… but he didn’t want it. He wanted me to keep it.”

“Did it ever cross your mind… to marry him after you got this ring?” Why was he speaking this way? It was completely eerie-like, so much so that it simply made all of my hairs standout, static-like and alert.

“Yes, but for only a second.” My body took a few steps to reach him, but when I almost reached his side, my muscles felt heavy and I couldn’t move forward. “Bass, I’m so sorry. I meant to tell you.”

I felt so goddamn helpless as I watched his crestfallen face, staring at the antique ring, as he processed everything I had just told him. “I asked you last week, if there were anymore secrets for you to tell me. You said ‘none’. Why do you feel the need to keep secrets from me, Emma? Why do you always throw everything back in my face each time I love you?”

“I did mean to tell you. We were just too fragile then that I couldn’t risk it back in Greece.”

“But you didn’t! Carter will always come between us. No matter how I try to make you happy, it’s never going to be enough because I’M NOT HIM—and it seems that you’re very much in love with him to take this betrothal ring everywhere with you.

“You keeping this ring alone speaks volumes, Emma. Choosing not to speak about it, tells me how confused you are. You may not want me to know about it, but Carter knew what that meant… he knows you still love him. Someway, somehow, I don’t f*uking get why, but you still love him.”

“I’m in love with you, Bass.”

“This is how you treat someone you love, Emma?” he wretchedly said, like it was being torn from him. Each word filled with scorn so profound that I was shivering from his loathing voice. “What hurts even more is that you kept it from me. Even when I openly asked you in Greece, you denied me of this knowledge. I could’ve forgiven you anything then, Emma. You had all this time to tell me, but you chose not to. Secrets. You have so many f*uking secrets when it comes to him.”

“I didn’t want to risk us again. I was scared to lose you!”

“Well, you just did. You just lost me! I’m sorry, but I can’t be with you. I can’t go on everyday thinking you’re going to leave me any day now to be with Carter.” He looked at me with pain. “Did you ever wish it was him in bed, too?”

“Never! How could you even think that?”

“At this point, everything’s questionable from where I’m standing.”

“Bass, this is so uncalled for. I get that you’re angry, I would be too if the situation were reversed, but to throw this away is drastic.”

“Angry? I’m f*uking furious! I’m so furious that I’m fighting the urge to wring your lying, deceitful neck. This is where I draw the line, Emma. You’re a confused woman who chose to be with one man and held the other in your heart.”

He stood before me, fury so white-hot that I felt faint with it. “I could’ve given you the world if you’d given me the chance, but that will be your biggest regret, not mine. For I have never held back when it came to you. I’m going to be that man in your life you will never forget. You’ll mourn the loss of me. You’ll feel it every single day because I’m not coming back to you.” The hardness in his eyes told me he meant every word.

I shook my head, not wanting to believe the lies he was telling me. “You don’t mean that…” I whispered, crumbling inside.

“I’m going for a drive. When you’re done packing, my driver will be downstairs to take you back home. Goodbye, Emma,” he said with finality; voice filled with determination to cut me out of his life. Bass gave me another scornful glance before he strode out of the walk-in closet.

No… No. No!!!!!

“Bass!” I screamed until I couldn’t anymore… but he never came back.