Page 109 of The Truth About Love

“She was pregnant,” I roar.

“You should never have fucked her in the first place.”

I shake my head, my hands ripping at the wild strands of my hair. I’m sure everyone can hear us, but I’m still lost in the red mist of my rage to give them any thought.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“I’m unbelievable?” She laughs in disbelief. “It was you fucking another woman while I was in rehab, wasn’t it? What, did the two of you laugh together as you imagined me in that centre, going to therapy and taking my meds? Did you think it was funny that all I cared about was getting better for you? Were you excited for me to show up just so you could break my fucking heart? I bet you even planned for Cara to answer the door, huh? For maximum damage and all that.”

I have her pinned up against the wall before she even has a chance to take a breath. “Listen to me right now, Summer-Raine, because I won’t repeat myself.”

Her chest heaves, her chin tilting in defiance but she doesn’t respond. She just waits for me to continue.

“Cara was already pregnant when you left. I haven’t slept with her since before we ended things two years ago. Not on our wedding night, not on our honeymoon. I haven’t been inside another woman sinceyou, do you understand?”

“That’s not what she said at the table.”

“She fucking lied.”

She shakes her head, looking away from me. She’s still angry, it emanates from her like steam from a kettle as she fights to slow her breathing.

We’re so close, our noses almost touching. I can taste the sweetness of her even from here, can smell the peaches on her skin and the citrus in her hair. The natural scent of her is better than any perfume Cara has ever owned.

Neither of us says anything as my words settle over her. She’s fighting it, but I know that she believes me. I wouldn’t lie to her and I think she knows that. Not about something as big as this.

But still, she doesn’t give up the fight. Her body is still posed for combat, her glare is still deadly enough to stop my heart if she looked at me for long enough.

Finally, after a lifetime of staring at one another with so many words unspoken, she pushes away from the wall and tears herself away from me.

“I can’t do this right now.”

She runs from the room and I let her go. It isn’t until my heart rate has returned to normal and the storm within me stops raging that I go after her.

I don’t know when I’ll next be able to see her and I can’t leave things like this. My soul won’t settle until things are somewhat okay between us.

I don’t even acknowledge my wife as I rush through the main living area to the front door, running down the corridor to the elevator. I know that Summer-Raine has already left since she wasn’t with the rest of the guests at the table, but I shouldn’t be too long behind her. Hopefully, I’ll catch up to her in the lobby.

And I do.

But I’d forgotten that she hadn’t come here tonight alone. I don’t know how, but Max’s existence slipped my mind the moment Summer-Raine and I had started screaming at each other.

They’re standing just inside the doors as they wait for a cab. Summer-Raine’s back is to me, but Max is staring straight into my eyes. He holds my gaze for a moment and smirks. And then, as if in slow-motion, I watch as he tilts her chin up so that he can lower his lips to hers, wrapping her up in a kiss so intense that it can’t possibly be the first time it’s happened.

And, like a dagger to the heart, I watch as the woman who should be mine wraps her hands around his neck and kisses him back just as deeply.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Summer-Raine

“What the hell are you doing?” I yell, coming to my senses and shoving Max away from me.

I stumble backwards, breathing hard as I fight to calm myself down.I kissed him back.Until now, I have only ever felt the kiss of one man. Only known the taste of Auden’s lips and the touch of them against mine. And though he’s married to another woman, I can’t help but feel like I’ve betrayed him somehow.

It’s stupid, I know. How can I betray a man who belongs to someone else? And yet, guilt festers in my gut like a stomach virus.

I haven’t been inside another woman since you.He’d said that, hadn’t he? Or did I imagine it? And if I didn’t and he was telling the truth, that he really hasn’t slept with Cara since before I left, does that mean he hasn’t kissed her either?

Maybe the answer doesn’t matter anyway.

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