“I didn’t expect it to last, and things are changing so fast. It wouldn’t be fair to you for me not to prepare.”
“Not to prepare? God, Taylor. I’m not even mad at you. I just feel like an idiot. They’re leaving one-star reviews of the bakery online. All your little fangirls. They’re coming for me because I hurt their precious bad boy. Did you know that?”
“No. Why?”
“Have you seen the articles? The ones you gave them quotes for? I’m a gold-digging bitch. I knew this was a bad idea.”
“I didn’t... they took those quotes out of context.”
“Whatever. It’s done. I’ll sign anything you want. Just be gone before I get home. I don’t want to see you.”
“I’m not leaving.”
“Why not? You clearly checked out of this relationship weeks ago. Go back to Seattle. Go back to your fucking penthouse and get back on the app. Find yourself some other willing woman. I’m done.”
“Hen—”
“I’ll pay you back every cent you gave me for this since I’m not holding up our end of the bargain.”
“Please, Becca.”
“Taylor, do yourself a favor. Quit while you’re ahead. I know it’s a novel concept for you, but I’m trying to be the civil one here. Get out of the house and get out of my life so I can start getting over you.”
My heart shattered as I bled out right there on the back porch of the bakery I loved so much.
22
TAYLOR
It had beenthree days since I had heard from my wife. Three bloody days of torture because I’d gone and fallen in love with her and then let my fears send me running. Because even though I didn’t leave her, I closed myself off and basically abandoned her.
How could I have been such a fool to think I wouldn’t do something stupid and fuck all of this up? Of course she’d leave. Everyone fucking left. And I deserved it because I hadn’t even had the foresight to think about what asking her to move would do to her. She had a career, a business, and a family she loved. She couldn’t simply pick up and move because I needed to. But in my defense, this wasn’t supposed to be anything more than a one-year arrangement between us. How was I supposed to know I wouldn’t be able to live without her?
So here I was. Stuck between a rock and the fucking hardest place I’ve ever experienced.
“What is wrong with you? What is wrong with him?” Petrov asked me, and then Trick immediately after when I didn’t respond.
Coming to stand near me on Byrne’s ridiculously huge deck, my teammate cocked one thick eyebrow as he sized me up. The sun was just about to dip below the horizon, casting the early summer sky in hues of pinks and purples.
“You can’t tell me you didn’t hear the news,” Trick said. “Were you not paying any attention? There’s serious talk of trading Savage.”
“What? Why? Where would you go?”
I couldn’t lie; his concern was something I really needed right now. I was an arsehole to them on the best of days, so to know they didn’t want me to leave meant a lot.
“Vegas,” I grumbled.
“No, I didn’t know that. I’m sorry. I thought for sure they’d renew your contract.”
“Yeah, well, nothing’s set in stone.”
I took a long pull of my whiskey, relishing the burn.
“Where’s your wife tonight?”
“How should I know?”
“You don’t know? You haven’t been married for that long.”