His gaze finally came to my face with a look of disappointment in it. “After our last conversation on the phone, I figured I needed to apologize,” he slurred. “I have to say, sugar, I love the outfit. Why didn’t you ever wear anything like that when we were married?”
Looking at him now, I felt embarrassed I had spent nineteen years with this man. He was the exact opposite of Reid and Heath. He was tall but reminded me of a beanpole except for his beer belly. His hair was thinning on top, and he had taken to the comb-over technique to cover his bald spot. All of these things wouldn’t have been bad if he at least had a good personality.
Truth was, he had always been slightly misogynistic, and it had only gotten worse with age. He was truly one of those men who thought they were God’s gift to women. It was one thing when he had an athletic physique to go with that complex, but now it was just sad.
I felt my chicken lo mein fight to stay in my stomach. I was sure my face was a mask of disgust. “I did and you just never noticed. How did you get past the front door? You can’t get in without a key.”
He waved me away like I asked a stupid question, staggering a little. “I just followed one of the other tenets. All I had to say was I lost my key and this sweet old lady let me in.” He looked around my apartment from the entryway with a long whistle. “Damn, this is your new place? My money from the divorce has treated you well.”
I rolled my eyes. “What the hell are you talking about? I didn’t take any of your money. I could afford this from my own savings.”
I didn’t mention that I had a little extra help. My dad never did like Tom. Dad had all but begged me years ago to leave him, and I believed him when he said he would have helped me raise Lyns. I was just too stubborn for my own good and wanted to make my marriage work.
I was his only child, and he’d raised me alone when my mom ran off with another man, leaving us both in her rearview mirror. When he passed, he made sure to leave everything to me in a separate account that Tom couldn’t access. Tom never knew about the account, and I never took any money out of it until the divorce. Even from the grave, my dad made sure I had everything I needed to leave Tom.
Something dark flashed in Tom’s eyes, and I realized my mistake when he took a step toward me. I should have slammed the door in his face the moment I discovered it was him. Instead, like an idiot, I had taken a step back, retreating from my ex like a wimp.
All too late, I tried to stand my ground. “Y-you need to leave. If you came to apologize, then I accept it. Now go.”
That was clearly the wrong thing to say. His eyes dilated and he prowled toward me. I backed up another step.
“You saved that money when we were together. If it hadn’t been for me paying the bills and keeping a roof over your head, you would have never saved anything. So I suggest you stop being such a bitch and move out of my way.” He didn’t wait for me to move. He shoved me hard, and I landed flat on my ass.
Surprise drowned out the pain in my hip as I registered the shock on my face. Through all the years we had been together, Tom had never been violent with me. We may have had our little arguments, but most of the time, he had just dropped the subject like he hadn’t particularly cared enough to fight with me. This Tom that stood above me with his fist clenched was a completely different person.
I hated the fact that I scooted further away from him. He stepped forward and kneeled down next to my face. I flinched when the smell of liquor fanned over my face as he spoke.
“Are you happy now? You made me push you. If you would have just let me in, I wouldn’t have had to do that. I don’t know what’s gotten into you all of a sudden. You never used to backtalk me,” he snarled before his eyes softened. “I’m sorry, sugar. You just make me so crazy sometimes. When you left, things started to go to shit, and I just want you back.”
I jerked away as he tried to touch my face in a loving gesture.
I saw now how bloodshot his eyes were. He was absolutely wasted—another thing that never happened when we were together.
“Tom, you’re scaring me. I need you to leave. Go sleep it off and then maybe we can get you some help.” I might not love him anymore, but Lindsey didn’t need to see her dad like this. I would help find him a rehab to spare her that.
Tom scrunched up his nose in disgust. Before I could see it coming, pain exploded across my face as he slapped the back of his hand into my cheek. My head snapped in the opposite direction. I could taste blood, so I knew he had split my lip.
I reached up to cup my cheek, but before I could, he grabbed hold of my hand and jerked me up toward him. Suddenly, I was on my feet, and he had me pressed right against his body.
“You self-righteous little bitch! You think you’re better than me, don’t you? I don’t need any fucking help. What I need is for my fucking whore of a wife to come home and start being my wife again. I’ve tried to let you have your little midlife crisis, but it stops now. Do you understand?” He spat.
Tears leaked from my eyes as he squeezed my wrist to the point of pain and shook me. “Tom, you’re hurting me. Let go!” I cried. I didn’t know how I was going to get out of this situation. I could try screaming, but I doubted anyone would hear me.
He snatched my hair, wrenching a strangled cry from me as he forced me to look at him. His eyes were wild like he wasn’t sure what to do or say.
“God, you make me so fucking crazy, Kate.” He slammed his lips down on mine and started to grope me. One hand in my hair holding me still, the other hand trying to lift my shirt.
I tried pushing him off me, but he wouldn’t budge. Desperately looking for a way out, I could feel my stomach getting ready to reject the food I had eaten as panic flooded my body. All of my focus was zeroed in on how to get out of this situation, so much so that I didn’t notice Reid come up behind Tom.
It all happened so fast, my body crumpled to the floor. I looked up long enough to see Reid punch my ex square in the nose, and I cringed at the sickening crunch. Tom howled and staggered back, grabbing his nose as he looked up at his attacker like he was the victim.
Reid seemed to barely contain his rage. He grabbed hold of Tom’s jacket and brought him right up to his face. “Who the fuck are you? You think it’s okay to force yourself onto a defenseless woman?” He brought his arm back and punched him again. Blood was running freely down Tom’s face now. If his nose wasn’t broken before, it sure was now.
I stood on wobbly legs to get to Reid. Tom looked like he was about to start crying soon. I just wanted him out of here. I touched Reid’s shoulder to stop him. “Reid, this is my ex-husband. He is very drunk and I think he needs help finding the door.”
Tom looked between Reid and me. “Are you fucking this guy, Kate?” he shouted.
Reid was having none of it. He reared back and punched him again. The sound of his nose breaking further was enough to make me wince as Tom howled in pain again.