Page 21 of Boards & Betrayal

"The last time you left, you didn't come back," he said, his voice tinged with a vulnerability that caught me off guard.

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I tried to steady myself, but the emotions were too overwhelming.

"I can't do this right now," I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Why?" His grip tightened ever so slightly. "Why can’t you just be honest with me?"

"Because it hurts," I blurted out before I could stop myself. The words hung in the air between us, heavy with truth.

Thomas’s expression softened for a moment, a flicker of understanding passing through his eyes. But the tension remained, an unspoken challenge lingering between us.

"I need you to let go," I said quietly but firmly.

"I can't do that," Thomas said, his grip firm on my arm.

"Why not?" I demanded, my voice barely steady.

"Because…" He clenched his teeth, anger sparking in his eyes. "You left. You didn't take my calls."

"I didn't want to come between you and your son," I replied, trying to pull away.

"You think I give a shit about that?" he snapped.

"You should," I shot back. "He's your son. I… It was three weeks. It didn't mean…"

"You're a goddamn coward," he spat, finally releasing me. "And a fucking liar." He scoffed, the sound bitter and cold. "I thought you were better than that."

His words cut deep, but instead of feeling sorry for myself, anger surged through me.

"How dare you," I said, stepping closer, my eyes blazing.

"How dare me? I didn't run away," he retorted.

"You don't get it, do you?" I snapped. "You think it's easy for me? To see you? To know what I've lost?"

"And whose fault is that?" he demanded, his voice rising. "You shut me out! You didn’t give me a chance!"

"A chance?" I laughed bitterly. "What chance? To pretend everything's fine? To act like we’re not standing on the edge of a cliff?"

Thomas's face hardened, his jaw clenching in frustration. "You think this is just about you? You think you’re the only one hurting?"

My heart pounded in my chest, the emotions swirling inside me threatening to break free. "I never said that."

"No, but you act like it," he accused. "Like you're the only one who’s lost something."

"Nick was lost to me the second his mom took him from me," Thomas said, his voice low and rough. "You... Why did you leave?"

"I didn't want to make things worse," I whispered, my heart aching.

"Worse? You think they could have gotten worse?"

"Tom, you broke his jaw," I reminded him, the memory still vivid.

"He hit you," Thomas replied, anger flashing in his eyes.

"On accident," I said, trying to calm the storm brewing between us.

"You can't seriously be defending it," he growled. "You got in the way. You shouldn't have moved?—"

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