She places a hand up in the air and shrugs. “No. No way. That’s not right,” she says slowly, trying to comprehend what I’m telling her, then looks up at me. “Is that why he never looked at me? He loved you?”
“He said he does, yes. But I think he’s confused.”
“Or, maybe you are.”
“No.” I step up to her and take her hand in mine. “I’m not, May. I don’t love him that way. I wanted to try, but every time I look at him, I see my family. He’s family. I don’t see what he wants me to see in him.”
“He loves you.”
I shrug. There isn’t anything I can do about that.
“Where’s your husband?”
“I’m going to stay with Alec,” I say.
“That’s a stupid move.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “You can stay with me.” She makes it a statement, as if it’s a final answer, and one not to be questioned.
“Are you sure? I may have flipped your roommate off last time I saw her.”
A smile starts to form then it’s quickly gone. “Yes, it will be better this way. Don’t confuse Alec any more than he already is.”
“Gunner bought my place. Did I tell you that?” I tell her as we walk to her car.
“No fucking way.”
“Way,” I say back to her. “And I’ve found a loophole… I don’t have to be with him, I just can’t divorce him,” I say, then smile as we slide into her car.
“And you think he will just let you walk away?”
“Probably not, no. But he already owns so much of me. I can’t give him any more,” I say the words with a heavy heart. They hurt, and he hurts me.
What would have happened if we were just two normal people who fell in love?
I didn’t have that luxury.
Unfortunately, I fell in love with a man who can’t love me the way I want him to.
5
Everly
She comes to a stop out front of Gunner’s home. My breathing’s hard and my hands are shaking uncontrollably.
How do I tell him, without him tying me down, that I am leaving?
“You can do this, Ev.” May nods her head and gets out.
“You should stay in the car. Just wait for me.”
She leans against her car as I make my way up the stairs one at a time. Upon opening the front door, I hear soft music playing as I enter. Looking up the stairs to where the kitchen is located, I don’t even bother going that way, instead walking past the stairs and to our bedroom. Grabbing a bag, I fill it with whatever I can quickly grab and then run to the bathroom doing the same. I pull out a few pairs of shoes and throw them in my bag. Then I pick up another pair I can’t live without, turn to stand, ready to leave, and that’s when I stop and notice him standing in the doorway with a spatula in his hand, wearing no shirt, staring at me. His ponytail is not as tightly bound at the back of his head as it usually is because a few loose curls hang at the sides. If I were seeing him for the first time, he would take my breath away. Actually, he almost does. Apart from the fact that I’m inwardly freaking out right now.
“Going somewhere?” he asks while nodding to the bag and the one pair of shoes that are dangling from my fingers.
“Yes.” No need to lie. He’s caught me, and this talk had to come sooner or later.
His fist clenches around the spatula while I wait for him to react.
“Where, Everly?”
“I’m leaving,” I say, pulling the strap of the bag up onto my shoulder.
“You aren’t allowed to.”
I close my eyes and shake my head. “I have to be your wife, Gunner, I realize this. But according to the contract, I don’t have to live with you.”
He smirks and his eyes darken.
My heartbeat picks up and my hands start to shake.
“I knew you were clever…” He tisks at me. “But not stupid.”
“Move, Gunner.”
He doesn’t, his body blocks the doorway preventing me from leaving. “You think after everything, I will just let you leave me?” The wound on his chest is red, but his chest is taut.
I tear my gaze away from where it was lingering and look up to his eyes. “Yes. If you love me, you will let me walk away without stopping me. This…” I motion between us, “… is not working. You broke that when you thought you could break me in.” I shudder at the words as they are released from my mouth.
“You liked it.”
“Stop manipulating me! You’re making me think I did when I hated it. I hated being tied down. I hated it when you did that to me. I hated everything about it.”