Lover (Court University 4)

The words banded down in my throat, a set of male arms stretched heavy and wide in my door frame. They dropped down, and I stood back.

The

man’s head rose.

America’s Most Sexiest Man Alive. He’d even made the Most Beautiful People list several times, but today, nothing but messy hair and a disheveled appearance radiated before me.

My mouth dampened. “You,” I said, and he frowned.

His head lifted, growing another foot when he stood tall. “Me.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Bri

My ex-husband was drunk.

He stumbled on his way inside my condominium. I had no idea why I let him in. I’d been so shocked this was happening.

That he was here.

Alec Norrington sauntered the calculated steps of the inebriated into my home, still the size of a tank. Guys with his background, in those careers, tended to stay that size. Even when they spent more time at bars than at their homes during the final days of our marriage. My ex-husband had all but given up on life prior to our divorce, falling into himself, his misery, and I guess there had been signs where things were going. He’d gotten so depressed once we’d lost our child, and I had asked him to get help. Funny enough, he used to say he was going to his therapist on the nights he got wasted. He hadn’t wanted help. He’d wanted to wallow.

And he’d wanted to hurt me in the process.

My hand ventured to my kitchen island, my gaze studying my ex-husband as he entered the kitchen behind me. He shouldn’t be here.

Alec eyed the room under his hair. It was way too long and not normal for him. “Someone here?”

His attention fell on the two teacups, the ones Evie and I had shared. I started to say no, but I wasn’t sure if I should. Maybe he should know someone else was here.

“Why are you here?” I asked, keeping my voice level. I didn’t want him to know this visit put me off, made me shake. He’d only hit me the one time, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t again. I swallowed. “How did you find me?”

I hadn’t gone out of my way to keep where I was from him. But I definitely hadn’t told him where I was going. It was none of his business.

He smirked as his fingers drew down his mouth, but then, it was sad. He sat on one of my barstools, his hands lacing, and a flash of light in my periphery took my attention. My phone lay on the counter behind me, the countertop across from Alec near the range.

I edged a look down at it.

Ramses: Hey. Mom said she just left your place and passed someone on the elevator who looked like your ex-husband. You okay?

“Come here, babe.”

My hand squeezed at my side, the thoughts barely surfaced to even think to grab my phone.

Alec faced my way, his hand out. “Come here.”

I wasn’t his babe. I wasn’t his. I shook my head. “Why are you here?”

“Come here, and I’ll tell you.” His lips wet, mouth turned down. “Why do you have to make everything so difficult? I come all the way here. I send you flowers…”

What?

Ramses: I’m going to go ahead and come through. Just need some peace of mine. Let me know otherwise, and I’ll give you space.

Alec’s hand continued to wave in my direction, my ex-husband clearly too wasted to notice I’d been eyeing my phone. He started to get up, to get me, and I didn’t want to risk grabbing it.

I came closer, but I didn’t take his hand.