The more I think about my mom and dad, the less angry I become with them. Even though I’m not a parent, I do understand the fact they were only trying to protect me from a life that would bring their only child nothing but danger. But why? What could be so bad that someone would want to hurt me?
And then there’s the fact that Cain knew where I was this whole time. Did he have someone spying on me? Following me around? He said he knew everything right down to knowing how many men I have slept with. Two. I have slept with two men, which I know damn well is a far smaller number than the women he has been with.
I can’t say that I blame any woman for wanting to have him. The way his hard body felt up against mine, I could have evaporated right into it. Cain has always been muscular, but not like he is now. His strong, well-built frame demands attention. I could feel how full and well defined his pecs were when he pinned me to him. How his t-shirt strained across his broad chest, his stomach feeling like a slab of granite.
God, why am I even thinking about him in this way? He nearly destroyed me, and now he’s doing it again.
Rolling over on my side and curling up in the fetal position, I suppress a loud groan, my thoughts on major overload. It’s then that I see several pictures all in familiar frames sitting on top of a dresser.
He’s kept them all; every last photo of the two of us together, and there they are, staring me dead in the face. Sitting up, I swing my legs over the edge and grab the one that calls out to me the most.
I run my fingers over the contours of Cain’s face. It saddens me to see how happy he looks in this picture and how unhappy he truly looks today. That day several years ago is a day I will never forget; the day we were finally able to show each other how much we loved one another, and he threw it all back in my face. I hate him for the vulgar way he spoke about that day, as if it meant nothing to him. It meant everything to me, and he made it sound like I was just another random fuck.
“What happened to you?” I whisper.
Instead of placing the photo back in its spot, I heave it across the room. The sound of the broken glass incites me to destroy every damn photo, every fucking memory. I take my anger out on them all, listening to each one shatter as it hits the floor.
When they are all gone, I look around, my chest heaving in anger as I take in my surroundings. How dare he leave me in here, in this room, on this bed where I caught him fucking his slut?
Grabbing my beautiful shoes and shoving my feet into them, I make my way to the door. Realizing I need my purse, I search the room frantically for it. Where the hell is it? All he did was walk in here and toss me on the bed, but it’s gone.
“Goddamnit. Where is it?” I scream.
Did I drop it somewhere?
Not bothering to look for it anymore, I yank the door wide open and descend the stairs as quickly as I can. I’m going to find a way out of this place one way or another.
I feel the warmth of summer cover me when I step onto the porch. It’s almost dark now. I have been here way too long. I inhale deeply, the scent of pine wafting up my nose along with a whiff of smoke from a nearby bonfire.
The sound of people talking and laughing loudly has me heading in that direction. There has got to be someone who will help me get out of here. It’s not until I stumble upon the party that I forget exactly where it is I am. I’m in his territory. These are his people and this is his world. No one is going to help me get out of here, not if he’s told them not to.
I search the crowd of people for him and he is nowhere to be found. I’m shocked by what I see. Jesus, don’t these women believe in wearing clothes? Skirts so short, their ass is half hanging out. Tops so low cut that if they bend over, you are sure to get a full view of their boobs. No one notices me standing here in this dark corner with my mouth hanging wide open as they all party, beers or liquor bottles in hand. The music is so loud I don’t even understand how you could carry on a conversation. I’ve been to several college parties and they’ve all been exactly like this. This is a flipping fuckfest.