I would be, too, had I been caught doing what he’d been doing in those pictures.
“Excuse me,” I murmured, trying once again to go around Tantor.
Tantor grabbed my arm just as Linc arrived and grabbed my other.
I obviously went with the enemy I knew rather than the one that I didn’t and would’ve likely hidden behind Linc’s back had Tantor let me go.
I twisted my wrist hard and took the man by surprise.
The moment I was free, I moved until I was behind Linc.
His big body felt reassuring, and I wanted nothing more than to throw my arms around him.
But then I saw that he was still wearing what he’d been wearing when he left—those stupid blue goddamn workout shorts and a simple gray tee—and remembered where those clothes had been.
I took a step back, and another, and another, not realizing it until it was too late that I’d left Linc and Tantor alone—or at least alone enough for Linc to feel justified in taking a swing at Tantor without fear of me getting in the way.
I gasped when he did it, wincing slightly when Linc’s fist connected with Tantor’s jaw, and he went down like a sack of potatoes.
The moment his body hit the concrete, I felt Linc’s attention turn toward me.
“You didn’t answer your phone,” he accused.
I laughed then.
“Neither did you.” I paused. “Which is funny. I guess you were busy doing that girl instead of meeting with FaithSports. Was this just some elaborate ruse that you worked out with your agent just so you could have a reason to leave?”
I said it so calmly that you would think that we were just having a short conversation about the weather—not about the photos of him cheating on me being splashed all over the internet.
“And just so you know, I’m going to kill you.”
Linc bent over and threw up.
That’s when I decided it was time to leave.
“No!” Linc moaned. “Please wait.”
I viciously ripped my hand that he’d somehow latched onto away from him and growled. “Leave me alone! I’m going home.”
“I’m going with you,” he said. “We really need to talk.”
I laughed then.
“You’re fucking out of your mind if you think we’re talking after what I saw today.” I laughed. “Out of your mind. No. You’re going to your house, and I’m going to mine. Thank God that I didn’t move in with you.”
Thank. God.
That would’ve been awful.
At the end of the day, at least I had somewhere to go that was away from him.
He reached for me again, and again capturing my wrist.
“Please.” He squeezed my wrist tighter. “Please listen.”
“I can’t listen right now,” I told him honestly. “Truthfully, about all I’m capable of right now is killing you by wrapping my stethoscope around your neck.”
Linc’s shoulders slumped, and it was then that I saw the hospital bracelet that was on his wrist.
But I shoved the concern for him back and turned away from him.
“Fine.” He dropped my hand. “I’ll leave, but only if you agree to stay with one of your friends. Don’t stay alone.”
The thought of having to stay with one of my friends after having Linc do this to me? That sounded about as fun as shooting myself in the foot with a harpoon. Yet, I wasn’t going to argue. I had a feeling if I didn’t agree, and follow through with it, I’d be seeing him again.
And I did not want to see him again.
“Fine,” I agreed. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get your face out of mine. I never want to see you again. What we used to have is over.”
Linc licked his lips and would’ve said something more, but the reporters that I’d been avoiding by going the back way turned the corner and started running toward us.
“Go,” he said.
I didn’t stay more than a second, and I wouldn’t admit that I felt sort of bad leaving him to deal with them.
But…the man had to reap what he sowed.Chapter 17Sometimes I feel like I need a shot of whiskey for every single person I’m forced to talk to.
-Text from Linc to Conleigh
Linc
I threw up again, but this time it wasn’t because of the medicine that was in my system. This time it was due to the goddamn look on Conleigh’s face when she looked at me and told me it was over.
“You okay, man?”
I looked up to find the last person on earth that I wanted to see and contemplated tackling his ass to the ground and pummeling his face in until he couldn’t use that goddamn mouth of his to ruin my life anymore.
Then thought better of it when I saw the cop standing at the front of the emergency room entrance gazing around the parking lot as if he was only waiting for a reason to exert his authority.
I drew in a deep breath and then stood to my full height.