Heartbreak You (Heartbreak Duet 2)

I was in the neighborhood, so I had to come and see it for myself, and I am glad I did. Seeing Theadora locked up is something that will stay with me forever.

“You have to stop,” Sydney says. “You say you don’t care, but you stalk her, and now you show up here. Stop it!” she snaps.

“Do you want to be fired?”

She flicks her hair. “Please, as if you could fire me. That threat is getting really very old.”

“I could, and I can,” I retort back, even though we both know I won’t. She knows how valuable she is to me. When I glance back in Theadora’s direction, she still doesn’t look this way.

“She’s working for Tina?” I ask Sydney.

Sydney rolls her eyes. “Yes.” Sydney looks back to her then to me. “I don’t think you deserve her.” Her words are firm, and I know she believes them. “Did you know her father was a drunk, her mother was an enabler, and her whole life all she’s done is look out for Lucy? It wasn’t until a few years ago that she stopped mothering and saving her. Tina says Theadora did everything for Lucy, even when she shouldn’t have.” Sydney takes a breath. “She even copped the beatings for Lucy when their father was drunk,” she finishes and turns away, walking to the car, leaving me to absorb everything she has just revealed to me.

I watch as the car drives off, my eyes not leaving until they are out of sight. How can someone so perfect fuck my life up as much as she has?

My cell rings again, and this time I answer it, knowing full well who it is.

“Lucy.”

“The baby is kicking. Kicking! Can you believe it?” she gushes.

“Great,” I say, still standing where she was.

“Why don’t you sound excited, Atlas? This is our baby.” I pull the cell away and take a deep breath. How can one be so fucked-up and the other so perfect?

“That isn’t my baby. That is my cousin’s baby who I am helping,” I say, reiterating to her again for about the hundredth time. She never listens, though.

“You know, Benji told me about your dad. You’d make a great dad, just like him.” She throws the thought in my face. My father was a good father only when it served him, and that usually involved power and money.

It’s why he sits in prison now where he belongs.

“Benji didn’t know shit, and stop with this delusion Lucy.”

“I love you,” she screams.

“And I do not love you.” I hang up on her.

Lucy tries to call me back, but I let it go to voicemail, where I know she will leave multiple messages which I will never listen to.

Climbing into my car, I drive home. The whole way there, sky-blue eyes never leave my head.

Even when I know they should.

Chapter Seven

Theadora

“Why did you call him?” I ask Sydney as we drive off.

I feel used.

Humiliated.

Embarrassed.

A shiver wracks through my body, and I pull the blanket closer around me. “How could you,” I say again as my lips quiver with the cold or is it the mortification of being arrested and then having such close contact with him.

“I didn’t call him. Atlas called me when I was heading out, and I may have told him.”

“Oh gosh,” I say, shaking my head. “I was doing better without him anywhere near me. I don’t need him around. At all,” I say.

“I get it, but I have a feeling, even if he says he doesn’t want to be around you and doesn’t even like you, he can’t help himself. Just as he couldn’t help himself before.”

“He broke this. Not me, so he doesn’t get to choose,” I reply, turning my head to the window.

“I take it you don’t have keys to get back inside your house?”

Fuck. Or my cell.

“No.” I left it all in Derek’s car. Which is God only knows where?

“Why did you go out there? You did know it’s private property, right?” Sydney asks.

I ignore her as she starts to slow down at a house I’m not familiar with. When she pulls up, I see Tina’s car parked out the front and look up at the large cream home. It has a wrap-around porch and is quite beautiful. It has a load of old vibes to it, as well as a modern feel.

“Where are we?”

Sydney gets out, and I follow only because I recognize Tina’s car.

“My house.” The front door opens, and Tina comes out, rubbing her eyes, looking at me then to Sydney.

“Thea, what’s wrong?” Tina steps out and comes closer. “Why are you wrapped in a blanket?”

“Can I have my spare key and some clothes?” I ask.

Tina looks to Sydney who’s already walking inside the house, and when she turns back to me she says, “Why didn’t you call me?”