Page 95 of Love, Luck & Clusterf*ck

Her posture relaxed and she sighed. “Oh, Perry. I miss you so much. I thought if I gave you enough time…. Well, I thought maybe you’d be more willing to hear me out. Please, just give me the chance to explain.”

She was ripping me open all over again. Not that I’d healed completely, but I was trying my best to put it out of my mind andmove on. It’d only been a month, but it could probably be a year, and I’d still feel the sting from her betrayal.

“Everything was already explained to me that day in the shower. My eyes got the details—vividly.” I could barely look at her yet, much less talk to her. “Leave now, Christa. There’s nothing more to say.”

I headed back to the house. “I love him, Perry,” she blurted out, and I paused.What?“I know it’s wrong to have fallen in love with Dre, but I still did. I would have never done something so horrible to you over a casual fuck. Please believe me.”

“You shouldn’t have done it to me anyway. You loved me too.”

I quickly went inside, not wanting to hear anything else. I was whirling from what she’d told me. Shelovedhim? How was that even possible?

Sam and her scum-sucking husband were both standing in the kitchen when I entered. I was on the verge of losing it. I didn’t trust Christa, but I believed every word she’d said about Paul.

“Your little friend gone?” he asked. That verge just fell out from under me.

“Why, were you hoping to have another shot at groping her?”

“Perry!” Sam’s mouth dropped.

“Ah.” Paul flicked his hand. “They’re both nuts.”

I walked over to my sister and held her arms, talking to her quietly. “We need to have a serious conversation. You can’t keep living like this. Emily is getting older—do you really want this to be the example you set for her? I used to think he was a decent-enough father, but I’ve changed my mind. How can he be a good father when he’s whoring around right in front of her? When he disrespects you? Do you want to teach her that it’s okay to be treated this—”

“That’s enough, Perry,” she said, pulling away. I was surprised I got in that much before she stopped me.

He let out his little chuckle. “You’re not believing this garbage, are you, Samantha?”

When she didn’t respond, I could see his whole demeanor change. He wanted a solid no, and he wasn’t getting it.

“People make mistakes, Sam, but that’s not what Paul’s do—”

“Shut it,” he said.

“What he’s doing is making the decision to cheat on you over and—”

“I said shut your mouth.”

“And he’s practically flaunting it and doesn’t care because he knows you’ll bel—”

“You hard of hearing, girl?” His jaw was clenched tight, and the little vein was starting to poke out of his forehead.

“Perry, please.” Sam looked uncomfortable, like she’d rather sweep it away just like every other day.

“Just minutes ago, he was out there in the garage coming on to Christa while you were right in the—”

Paul pointed at my face. “Shut your mouth, you damn slut.” I heard Sam gasp and I stepped closer. I wanted to break that finger. “You and your friend. You’re the only lying whores around here. Now pack your shit and get out of my house.”

“Paul….” Sam touched his arm right as Emily started crying.Dammit.

I stormed off to my soon-to-be ex-room, and Sam went to get Emily. Hopefully, Paul found something productive to do, like splash acid in his eyes.

One of these days I had to get through to her, but I guess this wasn’t the one. With luck, it’d be before Emily figured out what was going on.

It barely took me any time to pack my stuff, considering a good chunk of it was still at Christa’s. This was becoming a joke. Musical homes—where would I land next?

I went to my car, thankfully not having another run-in with the bastard, and immediately began searching for cheap hotels. I reallyhad no other option at that point. I hadn’t saved up enough for my own place yet, considering I was contributing money while at Sam’s. And now it would take me even longer if I had to pay for a bed every night. I definitely had to find something cheap. As long as it was safe and didn’t have roaches, I didn’t care what kind of shack it was.

I found a motel not too far away for sixty bucks a night, so I booked it right away. At least that was one less thing to worry about. Then I called Stephen.

---