Rae’s nostrils flared under her wide eyes, and I could’ve sworn she was seconds away from smoke coming from her ears. “Fuck you. Since when are you all about being with one woman. You go through as many as I go through guys.”
“Just because I enjoy myself doesn’t mean I don’t know how to value and respect the tradition of marriage. But I know you struggle with the concept.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
I laughed without humor, lost in the hurricane of fire all around us, spewing words that I didn’t even mean. Her dismissal landed blow after blow, and I lashed out blindly to land my own. “You don’t value anything but your freedom. You have no respect for anything unless it gets you what you want. You’re a selfish, spoiled little girl.”
“I am not selfish.”
“Then how come you’re acting like you don’t know how much this means to me? I have no doubt it was your idea to get married in the first place. You’re always pushing for us to fool around, showing no respect for our friendship. You probably used how much marriage meant to me to get what you wanted—just like you always do.”
Her lips parted, sucking in the smallest gasp. I would have missed it if I didn’t notice every detail about her. The furrow in her brow softened, and I almost softened with it. I knew I was hurting her, but I was too mad to stop—like a freight train off the rails.
“Fuck. You,” she almost growled.
“You. Fucking. Wish.” I leaned in and sneered each word.
Finally, she stumbled back. “Get out,” she whispered. “Get the fuck out.”
“Gladly.”
Grabbing my clothes, I didn’t even bother to change, taking the sheet with me.
With the slam of the door, it was like every ounce of anger that had pushed me moments ago stayed behind, leaving me empty.
Leaving me with nothing but regret.
Chapter Six
Raelynn
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
More tears built when I got through TSA to find my two best friends waiting on the other side.
“Oh, please,” Vera scoffed, yanking me into her arms. Nova wrapped around behind me, and as much as I fought it, more tears slid free. I was so tired of crying.
These two women weren’t my best friends—they were my sisters, and I shouldn’t have expected anything less than them bombarding me at the airport without even having to ask.
“Your flights don’t leave for hours,” I said, wiping away any evidence of weakness, sliding my sunglasses back in place. I didn’t care if I looked like a diva, everyone could suck it today.
“The guys are meeting us later,” Vera explained.
“But it’s your first day as a married couple,” I said to Nova.
“We have all the days ahead of us,” Nova assured. “You need me because, apparently, I’m not the only one spending their first day married at an airport.”
I winced. Nova usually stood back and observed until one of the people she loved was in trouble, then she didn’t pull any punches and went straight for the heart of it.
A golf ball-sized lump tried to work its way up my throat, but I forced it back down, somehow managing to choke out a simple, “Yeah.”
“That’s it? Yeah?” Vera asked, brows lifting high.
“What else can I say?”
“Um, how about everything? All the details. Where, when, why? How?”
Groaning, I pressed my fingers to my temple, willing away this fucking hangover.
“Do you want to get a drink?” Vera asked.
“God, no.”
“Ohhhh,” they said in unison, finally realizing my hangover.
It didn’t take much to put two and two together.
“Come on. Let’s grab a greasy lunch.” Vera linked her arm with mine, and Nova took my suitcase.
They gave me enough time to order and devour every ounce of my burger before leaning back, arms crossed, waiting for answers. I gave them a rundown but started falling apart all over again when I got to the morning.
Two hands reached across the table, gripping mine, and I held on tight.
“I just…I don’t think I can talk about it yet.”
“Okay,” Vera agreed without pushing.
Nova nodded along with her. I loved them both so much. They knew me better than anyone and knew exactly what I needed.
“Thank you.”
“Of course,” Vera cooed. “Besides, we know we’ll get it out of you later, anyways.”
The threatening words with the calm, soothing tone had me snorting. Which then made Nova snort, and then all three of us were laughing. I was the first to stop because it just hurt. I had no other way of explaining it, but I was so sad that even laughing hurt.
Fuck.
“Just take some time,” Nova said softly, seeing my turmoil. “Don’t make any quick decisions when you’re this upset.”
I nodded but didn’t confirm or deny because I knew as soon as I got home, the only solution was to call our lawyer and get this marriage annulled.