Page 59 of Outcast’s Return

“I’m simply telling the truth. I was devastated. I trusted you. I adored you. I needed you.”

His words run straight through my heart like a sharp arrow.

Fabien. The strong man. The man who doesn’t let down his walls. He was hurt by what I did. I’ve known that since I pressed send on that email. I just didn’t know it was this much.

He really did care.

“That’s... not my fault.”

All the anger has suddenly been sucked out of the car with Fabien’s rare flash of vulnerability. I feel like an idiot.

A hurtful bitch.

Fabien tightens his grip on the steering wheel until his knuckles turn white.

“I hate you, Jolie.”

Silence.

The statement bruises.

He has no idea how much it all affected me.

“I hate you too.”

There’s now total and utter silence. Like a black hole.

All the way until we get home.

* * *

Back at the penthouse, I get messages from Sylvie and Elise asking where I am. I make up some bullshit excuse as to why I had to leave. I don’t want them knowing the real reason. I don’t want them to know how much I still... feel for him.

I could’ve stayed. I could’ve told Fabien to fuck off.

But I didn’t.

I knew the storm was coming, and I still let it get me. Like I wanted to punish myself. As if, by letting Fabien reveal his pain and shout at me, it would mend things.

We’re still silent as we get ready for bed. I watch him cautiously. Broad-shouldered. Collected rage. It may be quiet, but his voice still echoes in my head.

Sylvie was right at the nightclub. This is an emotionally dangerous man I’m dealing with now. A man who once knew all my secrets. A man who took the risk and confided in me.

A man who just accused me of ripping away any chance of happiness.

What can I say to that?

I want to scream and cry at the same time, but instead I quietly slide into bed next to him. We both face away from each other. There will be no cleaning of wounds tonight. We are inches from each other, but we are also miles apart.

I lie there and think about what he said. He needed me. And I ruined him.

It’s true. If I were him, I would hate Jolie Auclair too.

20

JOLIE

I wake up in the middle of the night, screaming.