Page 75 of Under My Skin

She’s shutting down and fortifying her walls.

I don’t want to, but part of me knows I need to do what she says. I have no choice. If I keep pounding on the door, her mom and dad may come over, and I’m sure she doesn’t want that. I shouldn‘t either, especially knowing her dad might not be very understanding of me breaking his daughter’s heart.

I’m a fucking asshole.

So I’ll give her a little bit of time.

“I’ll leave, Lizzie, but this isn’t it. We aren’t over. When you’re ready, we’ll talk, and I’ll make things right. We’ll sort out whatever the fuck Renee said to you. I promise.” It takes everything in me not to tell her I love her, but I won’t say that for the first time through a door. She deserves so much better. “You know me. You know how much you mean to me. Believe that.”

Turning back toward my house, I spot my ex-wife on the porch with a fucking smile on her face. She has no idea what’s coming. I should have left her outside last night instead of listening to the girls.

When she arrived at midnight in a cab, claiming she came all the way from the airport in Des Moines, I was completely caught off guard. She didn’t call or text. She has always hated Brantley Falls and only came here once in all the years we were together, which means the only reason she’s here is to start trouble.

I’m done.

“Wipe the fucking smile off your face, Renee,” I seethe once I’m in earshot.

“Ohhhh. Did you and your little girlfriend have a fight?” she asks with a laugh.

I can’t believe I ever tolerated her poison. It makes me sick to think that I ever wanted to share a life with her, and, honestly, if it weren’t for the girls, I would think that chapter of my life was a complete failure and a waste of my time.

“Pack your things and say goodbye to the girls. I’m calling you a ride to go back to town. You can get a room there or go home for all I care. If you’d like to talk with the girls, call on Thursdays like we arranged. If you’d like to see the girls, you’ll need to get approval from me ahead of time. In fact, please call my lawyer to arrange that. No showing up unexpectedly. If you do, you’ll be out on the street, regardless of what the girls say.”

“You can’t be serious, Cam.”

There’s nothing I can or want to say to her, so I stare at her while using every ounce of self-control not to physically remove her from my property right this instant.

“So that’s what you’re into now?” she asks while pointing at Lizzie’s home. “The sweet, naïve neighbor girl that still lives with her parents? Does she say yes to everything you ask of her? Let me guess, she never puts up a fight or causes any waves, right?” Her words are bitter and hateful. “You were never enough for me, Cam. You never wanted to do the things I liked. All you did was hold me back.”

“You mean wanting to go out to clubs every night and get drunk while we had two kids at home? People are supposed to grow up, Renee. You were never interested in that, and instead of deciding to split up, you decided to cheat on me.” I’m so fucking tired of this same old song and dance. It’s always the same fights with her.

“You never fought for me, Cam. You never tried,” she whines.

I look behind her to make sure the girls are not listening. “You’re right. There was nothing to fight for once you decided to let some other man’s dick inside you.” I take a deep breath because I know she’s baiting me and I’m falling right into it. “It’s time for you to leave. Say goodbye to the girls while I order you a ride. And make sure to leave my shirt.”

“You’re such an asshole. You always have been. I don’t know what I ever saw in you,” she spits out.

“Money and a little fame,” I answer bluntly.

Renee scoffs and heads inside, yelling for the girls to come and say goodbye. I can hear her telling them that she has to go back home for work, so her visit is getting cut short.

That right there tells me I’m making the right decision by kicking her out. She wasn’t here for Addy and Mackenzie. She doesn’t give a damn about them. She only came out here to start problems.

I pull out my phone and order her a ride that should be here in twenty minutes. The faster she’s gone, the sooner I can figure out a plan to get Lizzie back.

Before I know it, Renee comes striding out the front door with her small suitcase rolling behind her. The car I ordered is also pulling down the road to my house, so I’m thankful I won’t have to awkwardly wait with her.

I load her suitcase into the trunk while she climbs into the backseat, but before I close the door, I force myself to ask, “What did you say to Lizzie? She said you told her things that could only have come from me.”

“Just made sure she knew how pathetic she is.”

God, I hate her.

“What. Did. You. Tell. Her?”

She smiles big now, and I know what’s about to come out of her mouth isn’t going to be good.

“It’s a funny thing. Karen Crosby and I met before. We went to a modeling camp together when we were like twenty years old in Chicago. Small world, right?” I glare at her, waiting for her to continue. “Apparently, she hooked up with some firefighter guy who wouldn’t stop talking about your girl and how you ruined his chances of getting in her pants.” She laughs out loud now. “Karen’s honestly pathetic. All she wanted to do was talk shit about the stupid girl you’re fucking. She’s so jealous of her because of you and the other guy, whatever his name is. She kept saying she must have a magic pussy to get all?—”

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