“Don’t get pissed,” Scum says. I hate that I’m so transparent in front of him. Sex is supposed to make men weaker, not women.
“I’m not.”
I glare at him, which diffuses the tension between us. Scum loves anger. He feeds off of it in a way that Isaac could never understand.
“Tell me what you want, baby,” Scum murmurs in a low voice, kissing me with passion. My tongue juts into his mouth as I tease his tongue ring and a strange throb of desire in my chest almost throws me off course.
“I need to leave my kids and handle grown-up business.”
He laughs, but his voice teases me with a tone that feels cruel and judgmental. “Mother of the year. I’m glad I never got you pregnant.”
There’s a pang of outrage that he says that. We had one near miss and he’s never let it go. Doesn’t matter what Scum says or what he wants. I have him here, ready to do what I want. He won’t turn me down after what just happened between us.
“I’m serious. I need to go to Boston.”
“Why?”
“Isaac won’t stop unless he gets full or partial custody. My whole life, every last thing I do will be dictated by a man who isn’t in this room fighting for me.”
Scum runs his thumb over my lips slowly. His teasing feels good.
“I’m not fighting for you either,” he says, kissing the top of my forehead. I have to fight the temptation to bite his finger clean off. Scum doesn’t do relationships – which is funny, because he always comes running when I call, so he must be lonely for all his posturing. I can use that.
“Good. Then work for me. Help me to kill him.”
Scum laughs. “You are one crazy bitch.”
“I’m serious.”
“Why the fuck would I do something like that?” Scum asks with a laugh. “Crazybitch.”
He pisses me off but right now…I need him.
Chapter Ten
Ghost
The basement apartment is pretty fucking nice – they’re lucky to have this much space in Boston. It helps that Amanda has her own money. They make a good team. Considering Ethan’s attitude with money, a serious, professional woman really is the best match for him. I don’t know what kind of woman Gabby is, really. She doesn’t seem professional, and in terms of maturity… I find her more peaceful than Tylee ever was. I’ll say that. Once we explore the furnished basement studio apartment, Gabby sits on the edge of the bed.
She still looks shaken up.
“You’re very married, aren’t you?”
“Define very?”
“Isaac, I’m serious,” Gabby answers, pleading with me. She gazes up at me with the widest, dark brown eyes. Staring at those eyes gets me instantly hard.
“I didn’t think you cared.”
Gabby’s voice strains. “I’m not a homewrecker.”
That makes me laugh out loud. If anybody wrecked our home, it was Tylee. I should have known Wyatt was right – ifanybody gets away with cheating on you once, they’ll do it again. There’s something about infidelity that forcing a relationship won’t fix. I wish I had known that before trying to fix things. And I don’t regret the kids. I couldneverregret the kids, but I regret putting them in this situation.
“It’s not funny,” Gabby says. She’s right. It’s not funny.
“I don’t want to be married. I haven’t felt married in a long time. I’m getting a divorce as soon as Tylee signs our divorce agreement. If kissing you misled you–”
“I don’t have feelings for a stranger that I barely know,” Gabby says before I can finish my sentence. Her face sharpens, and I suspect that I’ve crossed some moral barrier with her that I can’t push past. Shame darkens my face as she glares at me. I’m not the kind of guy who disrespects his vows or commitments. It hurts me to see Gabby looking at me like I’m… a criminal.