CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Mason
There it was.
I stared at the envelope that had arrived in the mail that morning. Express shipping, right from Laney’s lawyer. Our divorce had been a slow and grueling process with stalling from both sides. It was like we were both holding back, hesitant to sever the ties of marriage.
But now that I knew the truth, I didn’t know if I could go through with it. I couldn’t sign on the dotted line, not when I still loved her so much.
In short, I’d fucked up big time. Real bad.
And now, the finale had come.
Slowly, I picked up the envelope and slid my finger under the seal, a harsh rip sounding out. Reaching inside, I pulled out a thick wad of legal papers. I’d seen them countless times before, but now they were signed.
At the bottom of the page was Laney’s signature, right beside mine.
But she’d used her maiden name. No more Laney Evercore.
Because the female’s doesn’t belong to me anymore.
She’s no longer mine, and pain ripped through my heart.
Oh shit.
This was really happening.
All I needed to do now was file the papers and then we would be done.
That was it. No more us.
I’d be a single man once more, free to date and fuck whoever I’d like. Things would go back to the way they were before I was sent to prison. I could have any girl wrapped around my finger, bent over and begging for it.
But I didn’t want anyone else.
I wanted Laney.
Suddenly, I threw down the papers in a rage, pacing around the room.
I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t divorce Laney.
Why would I want to divorce the woman I loved?
I couldn’t give up on her without a fight.
So maybe she hates me right now. Maybe she’ll always think of me as the asshole who broke her heart, but still, I couldn’t throw in the towel just like that. There had to be a way. If only I could get her to listen to me – to give me a chance – things could be different.
I could fix this.
After all, I was the one who had fucked up. I made the mistake. So it was my responsibility to make things right.
But how?
I ran my fingers through my hair in a rage, still pacing around the room.
There had to be something.
Maybe, if I just explained myself to her, she would understand. I could tell her that my impetuous actions were a result of my past. Before, I had never cared about anyone. Women came and went. They were a quick source of pleasure, but that was about it. I would fuck them, give them a pat on the ass, and show them the door.
They didn’t matter.
All those girls I fucked and not one of them mattered the same way Laney did.
There was no emotional connection. It was all about lust. And frankly, if they hooked up with other guys before or after, it made no difference. I didn’t care.
But Laney was different.
She was the only woman who’d gotten through to my heart.
So when I saw the photos, I lost it.
Of course I did. She was my woman, and the only woman I’d ever truly felt deeply about. The only one who’d ever moved my soul among a long list of females. It was no surprise I went ballistic. It was the possessive predator inside, unleashed and raw.
And yet, that dominant, possessive instinct that was supposed to keep Laney safe and sound in my arms, was the reason our marriage crashed and burned.
Fuck.
I needed to do something.
I had to get my womn back.
***
Pulling up silently, the Maserati slid up the curb outside her house. The lights were on and I could see a gorgeous, curvy silhouette moving along the window.
While driving, I had come up with this big, elaborate plan to make her mine again, but now that I was actually here, it vanished into thin air.
I’ve never been one to doubt myself. As master of the universe, the decision come easy, my actions decisive and confident.
Not this time.
For the first time ever, I was afraid.
Petrified, frankly, of rejection.
Because what if Laney slammed the door in my face or said she never wanted to see me again? I hadn’t contemplated those possibilities, but now, they seemed all too real. I was almost sure she’d kick me to the curb. Hell, she’d probably call the police for stalking.
But that didn’t matter.
I needed to talk to her. I needed to make her understand.
So taking a deep breath, I got out of the car. And with long strides, my big body approached the cottage like a panther stalking its prey. It was ridiculous actually. Her house was tiny and pink, like gingerbread come to life.
Oh shit, oh shit. I was losing it.
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to knock.
Silence.
My heart pounded like a fucking drum in my chest. Oh shit, oh shit. What if she ignored me? What if she told me to take a hike? I wouldn’t blame her.