Lust & Lies Box Set-Sexual Awakenings, Excess, Predator & Prey

“Have you talked to Rhys?”

“Mom, you just asked me that. I told you no. I’m upset with him. I texted him earlier and he never replied.” I was irritated. She wouldn’t let me vent. I couldn’t stop thinking about the insanity of it all.

Rhys spent Christmas on Tybee Island with his family and was staying until after the new year, as he’d planned. Although I was unsure of turning down his invitation to join him prior to our fight, I was happy with my decision now that he’d never bothered to answer my text. I had become accustomed to his silence when he was angry. Well, I was angry too and had every right to be. I wasn’t sure even a phone call was a good move at this point.

My mother read my mind as she said, “He probably didn’t reply because I’m assuming he’s a little hurt and could use some reassurance right now.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Listen, you have an amazing thing with that man and you are blowing it by obsessing over what could ha

ve been.” She turned to me quickly. “Get your head out of your ass, Violet. Stop worrying about the man who left you and start paying attention to the man who loves you.”

“Mom, it’s not that simple. He said some things—”

“Things that he didn’t mean,” she scolded.

“He lied to me again.”

“He protected you, again,” she said as she let go of my arm. “You have got to learn to choose your battles, baby. He’s not in this to hurt you and right about now he’s thinking you’re not in this at all.”

I paused in the street, thinking of how Rhys must have felt when I reacted to the situation. Of course I had hurt him. I was so worried about me, how I felt, too selfish to think of how it affected him. My reaction to Alex and his shit was ruining my newfound happiness...for the second time.

Did the details really matter? Why did I care so much about the way things happened? What is it in me that couldn’t just let it go and be thankful like Rhys was?

No, when it came down to it, the details didn’t mean anything.

Rhys was all that mattered, and his silence was deafening.

I left my mother on River Street to finally head home and get on with living. As soon as I stepped through the door, my phone vibrated.

“Hey, Molly,” I answered, less than enthusiastic.

“So do you have plans tonight with that hot as hell new boyfriend or did I just get lucky enough to catch you without any?”

“Tonight?”

“Yes, Violet. It’s New Year’s Eve.”

I had spent an entire week at my parents!? No wonder my mother was ready to kick me out. I had been nothing but a moping pain in the ass.

“No, he’s at his parents’ house until tomorrow. But I will never go out on a holiday again. I’m cursed.”

“Come on, Violet, just a few drinks before the road becomes dangerous. Then we can bring in the new year at your house.”

“What happened to Roger?” I asked about her current fling.

“He’s on a last minute business trip.” I could tell from her tone she was lying. From the sound of things, she needed me. I looked down at my clothes and caught my reflection in my freezer door. I had once again turned into a slob of a woman, a pitiful mess agonizing over a man.

Old habits die hard.

“Fine, where?”

“Girl, you won’t regret it. We will have a relaxed night, I promise.”

God, how I wanted to believe her.

Molly and I sat at the bar, laughing hysterically at the events of Christmas Eve. Though the situation was anything but funny, she had a way of making the disaster seem so as she tried to put it all in perspective.