Tessa’s hard expression softens, and she pads down the hallway and turns into her old bedroom.
Carol’s eyes move back and forth between Zed and me before she speaks. “What happened to make her run out into the rain? Which of you caused that?” Her glare is murderous, almost comical, really.
“He did,” the two of us answer and point simultaneously, like children.
Carol rolls her eyes and turns to follow her daughter down the narrow hallway.
I focus on Zed. “You can go now.”
I know Carol can hear me, but honestly, I don’t give a fuck at this point.
“Tessa didn’t want me to go; she was only confused. She came on to me, she begged me to stay here with her,” he spits. I shake my head, but he continues. “She doesn’t want you anymore. You’ve spent your last dollar where she’s concerned, and you know it. You see how she looks at me, how she wants me.”
I ball my fists, taking deep breaths to calm myself. If Tessa doesn’t hurry out with her bag, the living room will be painted red by the time she returns. That fucker and his fucking smirk.
She wouldn’t kiss him. She wouldn’t do that.
Visions from my nightmares swirl behind my lids, bringing me one step closer to my breaking point. His hands on her pregnant belly, her nails raking down his back. They way he’s always mixed up with other people’s girls . . .
She wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t kiss him.
“This isn’t going to work,” I say, forcing the words out. “You aren’t going to antagonize me into attacking you in front of her. Not again.”
Fuck, I want to smash his fucking head open and watch his brain matter pour out. I want to so fucking bad.
He sits on the arm of the couch and smiles. “You’ve made it so easy for me. She told me how much she wants me, she told me less than a half hour ago.” He glances down at his empty wrist as if he is checking the time on a watch. He’s a dramatic motherfucker, always has been.
“Tessa!” I call to gauge how many more seconds I have to tolerate this asshole’s presence.
Silence fills the house, followed by the murmuring voices of Tessa and her mum. I close my eyes momentarily, hoping that Carol hasn’t convinced Tessa to stay in this shithole of a town for another night.
“That drives you crazy, doesn’t it?” Zed mocks, continuing to goad me. “How do you think I felt when you fucked Sam? It was one thousand times worse than the petty jealousy you feel right now.”
As if he could possibly fathom the depth of what I feel regarding Tessa. I give him a bored look. “I told you to shut the fuck up and leave. No one gives two fucks about you and Sam. She was easy, too fucking easy for my liking, really, and that was that.” Zed takes a step toward me, and I straighten my back, reminding him that my height is one of my many advantages against him. It’s my turn to fuck with him. “What? You don’t like hearing about your precious Samantha?”
Zed’s eyes turn dark, warning me to stop, but I refuse. He has the fucking nerve to kiss Tessa and try to use her feelings as ammunition against me? He obviously doesn’t know that I have an entire arsenal up my fucking sleeve.
“Shut up,” he snaps, pushing me further. I may keep my hands to myself this time, but my words will make more of an impact anyway.
“Why?” I glance down the hallway to make sure Tessa is still occupied by her mum while I torture Zed with my words. “You don’t want to hear about the night I fucked her? I can barely remember it, really, but I understand it was so new a feeling for her that she was writing about it in that little diary of hers. She wasn’t very memorable, I suppose, but at least she was eager.”
I knew how into her he was, and at the time I assumed their relationship would make her more of a challenge. The joke was on me when she ended up being more of a hassle than a toy. “I fucked her brains out, though, I can assure you that. That must be why she pulled that pregnancy shit afterwards. You remember that, don’t you?”
For a moment—a brief moment—I pause and consider how he must have felt when he found out. I try to remember what was going through my mind when I decided to pursue her. I knew they were dating. I’d heard her mention his name in the copy room at Vance, and I was instantly intrigued. I had only known Zed for a few weeks, and I thought it would be fun to fuck with him.
“You were supposed to be my friend.” His pathetic words fall between us.
“Your friend? None of those degenerates were your friends. I barely knew you; it was nothing personal.” I look down the hallway, to make sure Tessa isn’t around, then I step closer and wrap my fist around the collar of his shirt. “Just like it was nothing personal when Stephanie introduced Rebecca to you, even though she knew Noah was seeing her. Personal is what you’re aiming for by fucking with Tessa. You know what she means to me—more than any office whore could ever mean to you.”
I’m caught off guard when he pushes back, slamming me against the wall. Picture frames rattle and fall to the ground, causing Tessa and her mum to rush into the hallway.
“Fuck you! I could have fucked Tessa, too—she would have easily given herself to me tonight if you wouldn’t have shown up!” His fist connects with my mouth, and Tessa shrieks in horror. The harsh taste of copper fills my mouth, and I swallow the blood in a quick gulp before wiping my sleeve across my lips and chin.
“Zed!” Tessa scolds, rushing to my side. “Leave! Now!” She shoves her small fists against his chest and I grab hold of her, gently putting space between them.