“I’m ready to talk. I’m—”
I was cut off by the sound of Dash’s phone ringing. The screen on his dashboard read Rosalyn’s name, and from a simple phone call, I could feel my blood boil. Why was she calling him? I thought they lost contact long ago.
“Go on,” he pressed.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?”
“No.” His jaw clenched and unclenched and his fingers tightened on the steering wheel. The ringing stopped and his shoulders visually relaxed.
“Why?”
“Is that your business?”
On cue, the ringing started again with Rosalyn’s name flashing on the screen. “I’m making it my business.” I pressed the button for accept before he could react, and immediately, Rosalyn’s shrill voice filled the car. I literally cringed.
“Dasher? Are you there?”
I leaned over the armrest and tauntingly whispered, “Oh, you’ve got her calling you Dasher, too?”
“You’re going to pay for this later.”
“So I’ve heard.” I waved toward the screen, silently communicating that he should talk.
“I’m here, Roz.” His use of the nickname he called her when they used to date knocked the air out of my lungs as if he had kicked me in the chest. His smirk further added to the hurt.
“I thought I heard someone else. A woman.”
I wanted to confirm for her what she suspected. That he had another woman, more specifically, an ex-lover in his car whom he spent the night with, but I wanted answers more so I kept my mouth shut.
For the time being.
I needed to know if there was something between them again. I almost wished there were so it would make everything easier.
Easier to let go and easier to forget.
“Sorry, did you need something?” he asked, sidestepping her question.
“Yes. I want us to do lunch and discuss the wedding.”
Wedding? Please tell me she sunk her claws into someone else.
“Now is not a good time.”
“Our fathers want us married within the next six months,” she screeched, confirming my fears while they had no idea that she had ripped out the remnants of my heart and spat on it with each word she spoke. “We have absolutely no time to plan as it is.”
“I’m not stopping you from planning without me,” he pointed out.
“I’m not going to let you run away from this. We have a commitment.” I snorted at her idea of commitment and earned Dash’s glare. “Are you mocking me?”
Her screeching began to give me a headache, and I wondered if it was the sound she made when Dash made love to her.
Oh, God. Did he make love to her?
I must have made some sound of distress because Dash took that moment to meet my stare. “Rosalyn, we’ll talk about this later.” He hung up without waiting for her response.
I took a deep breath and found my voice. “So, you’re getting married.” It wasn’t really a question but hearing it out loud solidified it.
“I didn’t want you to find out this way.”
“So, when did you plan to tell me? Before or after you had your way with me again?”
“It’s not like that.”
“No? So, you’re not a liar and I’m not a fool?”
“What did you expect, Angel—”
“Stop calling me that.”
“It’s been four years,” he went on.
“Forgive me. I forgot that my extended absence meant you could lie to me today. God! You actually kept me prisoner here with little regard for the life I created while your fiancé plans the rest of yours together. I guess I should blame myself because, really… how dumb can one girl be?”
“Angel…”
“Gah,” I screamed. “Just stop.” I angrily wiped away the intrusive tears rampaging down my face. I didn’t understand the strength of my reaction. I always knew he was promised to her. I just never thought he would go through with it, and if he did, I never thought I’d be around to witness it.
We arrived at his apartment minutes later. The tension had increased with each second we were confined in the tight space of his car.
I needed air.
I needed a breath.