The Life You Stole (Life Duet 2)

“What is it?”

“I don’t want to say over the phone.”

“Then why did you call me?”

“To find you.”

“Well, you found me. So either tell me what it is or let me get my shit done.”

“Down girl. Really, what has you so pissed off? Is there trouble in paradise? I fear there might be.”

I tossed the toilet brush into the bucket and sat back on my ankles, glaring at my phone on the bathroom vanity and the voice inside it. “I don’t need this today.”

“Evelyn, there’s never a good time for shitty things to happen in your life, but they happen anyway. I’ll see you soon.”

“What? No!”

Too late. He disconnected the call.

I turned up the volume and let my frustration feed me as I tore through my house, cleaning every little corner and crack. Just as I started to go through Franz’s closet, the doorbell rang.

“Please don’t be Graham. Please don’t be Graham.” I opened the door.

“Graham.” I gritted my teeth, shooting his security guys a tight smile.

He stepped past me and shut the door, leaving his team outside.

“Evelyn.” He glanced around. “Looks good. Smells clean. I’ve always loved your domesticated side.” His creepy gaze gave my body, clad in ripped jeans and a tight tee, a slow inspection. “But if I’m being honest, I’ve loved all your sides.”

“Whatever you came to say or show me, just do it. Franz will be out of school in three hours. If you fuck up my day, I’ll kill you.”

He opened a large envelope. “I have a meeting at three, so I can’t fuck you or your day, given my time restraints. Maybe I can pencil you in next week.”

Smack!

I hugged my hand to my chest. It stung after connecting so hard to Graham’s face. He rubbed his cheek and had the audacity to grin.

“I am married and so are you. What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Nothing is wrong with me.” Graham pulled a handful of photos from the envelope. “But something definitely doesn’t feel right about this.” He shoved the photos into my chest.

I squinted as some of them were fuzzy, but others were quite clear. Adrianne getting into Ronin’s car. Ronin going into her apartment. Them coming out of her apartment. The photos were timestamped. He spent an hour in her apartment.

“He’s not a cheater.” I let the photos fall from my shaky hands to the floor.

Graham bent down and picked them up, maneuvering them back into the envelope. “I think he loves you. But just because a man loves his wife doesn’t mean he’s immune to temptation.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to ignore the twisting of my stomach, sending waves of nausea along my skin and burning the back of my throat. “Have you cheated on Lila?”

He smirked. “You know the answer to that.”

“How would I know the answer to that?”

“Because you’d be the first to know.”

“You should go.”

“You’re right.” He tossed the envelope on the counter. “Maybe find a place for those where the kids won’t find them.”

“They’re in the same support group. That’s how they met. I’ve met her. She was actually at the house not that long ago. She’s changed. And Ronin is a nice guy who does nice things for other people. She probably needed a picture hung or something like that.”

Graham blinked several times, returning a blank expression. “I like Ronin. You know this. But if he hurts you, I’ll end him.”

I nearly choked on the irony of the most hurtful person I knew pointing fingers and making threats against the most loving person I knew. But I couldn’t find the right words to say because I didn’t understand why Ronin was at Adrianne’s place, and I didn’t recognize the protective side of Graham. My world flipped and everything felt upside down.

Graham rested his hand on the back of my neck and kissed the top of my head. I felt too numb to react to his touch.

He brushed his lips down my cheek, and I barely felt that either. “I love you,” he whispered in my ear. “I would never cheat on you.”

But Lila … he would cheat on Lila with me.

Fuck my life.

Ronin

Lila answered her phone by the third ring. What I wouldn’t have done for a few pills to numb the pain.

“Hi.”

“What happened, Lila?”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“My shoulder aches. My head hurts. I feel like I broke my wrist. I’m depressed as fuck. And Evelyn is taking the brunt of my misery. What. Happened?”

“I’m sorry. I felt weak and nauseous after my treatment. On the way to the bathroom, I fell and dislocated my shoulder and broke my wrist. I’m … really sorry.”

I stared out my window, debating whether or not I should go to the meeting or go home. “I’m sorry.” I sighed. “I didn’t mean to sound so harsh. Are you okay?”