Page 24 of Backlash

He’s got me cornered—physically, emotionally—and he knows it.

“I thought you didn’t know where she was,” I say stupidly.

“I didn’t know where she was five years ago.”

“I guess you found her.” Suddenly, it seems I have a gift for stating the obvious. Sutton is his sister. That does make sense. But like so much of Sterling’s life, I don’t know much.

Sterling doesn’t seem to hold my newfound observational skills against me. “I did.”

It’s less that I forgot about his sister and more that, in the past, talking about her was like flipping his asshole switch. “I thought you didn’t want to find her.”

“I didn’t. She found me.”

“And why does she think I’m a bitch?” Sutton being his sister might clear up why he said I love you, but it doesn’t change how they seem to talk about me. I’d seen the message with my own eyes. Not only had she said it, he hadn’t corrected her.

“She’s not your number one fan,” he says, shifting away from the wall.

Now we’re getting somewhere. Somewhere uncomfortable for both of us, but where we need to go. “And why would that be?”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” he says. “About my life.”

No shit. Now who’s stating the obvious? “Enlighten me.”

“You’re unbelievable,” he says with a laugh that sounds anything but amused. “You read my messages, jump to conclusions, and then—”

“Jump to conclusions?” I repeat in disbelief. “What am I supposed to think about you saying I love you to another woman and it’s not like I was snooping. You gave me your phone.”

Now he looks cornered. Good. “I did give you my phone.”

“Don’t you dare paint me as some psychotic girlfriend who is nosing around in your business.” I poke his sternum with my index finger. That turns out to be a mistake because it’s like hitting a launch button.

“Aren’t you?” he storms. “You’re always sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“Because you won’t tell me anything!” I’m the unbelievable one? There are a lot of ways that he’s changed. There are a lots of ways that I’ve changed. But the lies and mystery he likes to keep as armor? It hasn’t changed.

“There’s nothing to tell.”

My jaw unhinges and I hastily close my mouth with a glare. If I started writing down all the things I don’t know about him, it would rival Santa’s Christmas list. All he does is keep secrets. It might even be what came between us before. I can’t be sure, because I don’t even know what that was!

“I think there’s a lot to tell. Like why she wants you to come home or why you said not this time,” I quote the text back to him.

“You memorized it?” His eyebrows raise.

I can’t tell what he thinks about that, except that I’m in real danger of actually being a psycho girlfriend despite my intentions.

“It’s kinda burned in my brain,” I say. “I mean, I fucked you thinking I could trust you, and then before I could put my panties back on, another woman was sending you texts.”

Sterling sucks in a deep breath and I’m not sure if he’s preparing for a shouting match or finding his zen. He releases it slowly, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “You can trust me, Adair.”

“Okay, prove it,” I challenge him. “Tell me how you made your money.”

I’m tired of being on the outside. I’m tired of looking at him and seeing as many questions as I do possibilities.

“I don’t see what this has to do with anything.” He shakes his head and I get the distinct impression he’s lying to himself as much as he is to me.

I watched a marriage built on lies. I lived it. There’s no way I’m settling for less than all of him, even if it means getting none of him. “It has everything to do with it. Where have you been the last five years? Why did you come back? I’m tired of only knowing half of your life. How do I know things are real between us?”

Sterling’s perfect eyes wince in pain. If it hurts him to be misunderstood, why doesn’t he make himself clear? I see the little muscles in his jaw twitch as he takes a step toward me. I back up reflexively, bumping into the wall. There’s nowhere to go.