Page 25 of Words We Didn't Say

“I’m surprised you had time to stop by,” I said.

“Work’s full-on, but—”

“Work.” I scoffed. “Please. We both know what’s actually been keeping you so busy.” I smiled sweetly. “I believe her name is Michaela.”

A deep line creased between his brows. “Michaela?”

His innocent act was adorable, but he wasn’t fooling me. “I saw you with her. In your office. Tonight.”

He shook his head, still ten steps behind. “Wha—that’s—how?”

“I let the security guard have a little peek.”

“Pardon?”

“You heard me.”I ran my finger along the sharp placket of my blouse, making sure he saw the cleavage framed with delicate white lace. “A li’l peek.”

Zach’s nostrils flared, and laboured breaths made his chest jump. He glared at my buttons as if he was about to snap every last one back into place so no one could see what used to be his.He was seething with jealousy. I grinned. Petty revenge was a delight.

“My visit was supposed to be a surprise,” I said, “but it turns out the biggest surprise was for me. Who would’ve guessed my man was nothing but a cheating bastard?”

The accusation made Zach’s eyes blow wide. “I’venevercheated on you. I wouldn’t even—that’s not—” He tugged a hand through his hair, only making the mop a bigger mess. “God, I’dnevercheat on you.”

“You told her she could put her hands on you.”

His grimace was almost convincing. “I was distracted by some work. I didn’t realise Michaela was going to do, well,that. As soon as I did, I told her to get the hell out. I literally shoved her out the door. You saw that, right?”

I swallowed. No, I hadn’t seen that. I’d panicked. I’d run. But I wasn’t about to admit how weak he made me.

I hiked my chin. “And when she promised there’d be no crowds this time?”

“She asked me out for a drink a couple of nights ago. Some bar on the harbour. I can’t tell you which one because I didn’t care. I said no.” His lips curved. “I was on my way home. Nothing in the world is more important than seeing you.”

My shoulders sagged. My resolve withered under self-doubt. Had I made the worst mistake of my life? Maybe my old therapist had been right. My relationship with my father had primed me to think the worst of men—thisman. I stared helplessly at Zach. I’d lost count of how many times I hadn’t felt like an essential part of his life, let alone themostimportant, but maybe I’d rushed into—

“Eden, whatever was going on between Michaela and me—”

I cut him off with a brutal laugh.Here we go.“Whateverwasgoing on?” There was always more to the story.

“It’s been over for a long time.”

And to be ‘over,’ they needed to have started, which meant… “You’ve fucked Michaela?”

Zach’s hesitation told me everything I needed to know.

I hadn’t rushed a damn thing.

I’d been right.

“You’ve fucked her!” The words flew out of me with too much emotion. Zach couldn’t see how much he hurt me. I forced down a deep breath. “All the times you stayed at work late, the weekends you went into the office to help her out—” I flattened my lips and wrestled my anger under control. “Howconvenientthat you forgot to mention you used to be in a relationship with her.”

“It wasn’t like that!”

“Then explain to meexactlywhat itwaslike!”

“Eden, when I was with Michaela…” His head bowed, but his fist clenched by his side. He was fighting to hold himself together. When his eyes lifted again, they were clouded, misty.

No, no, no.

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