Page 76 of Between the Stars

Still, I had to face him and close that chapter of my life before I could start the next one.

After Jace and I leave the park, I find Griff at our condo. His eyes are filled with hatred, as I expected. Or has he always looked at me like this?

A thousand butterflies flutter in my stomach as I step inside the condo hesitantly, unsure what I’m going to be subjected to.

“Wow,” he says, his words uneven as he screws the cap back on his bottle of choice. I can’t see the label clear enough but I imagine it’s gin. “Didn’t think you’d have the balls to show up here.”

“We need to talk.”

His features tighten and I think, no… I know if I were a man, he’d hit me. “Did you really think I didn’t know who Jace Vaughn is?” He stands completely motionless.

Well. Fuck. My heart drops to my stomach. “No, I’m not surprised you know who he is.”

“I did my research on him after you came home from Christmas with bite marks on your shoulders.” I forgot about that. He had to have seen them but never said a word to me. “What I can’t understand is why him.” Griff crosses his arms over his chest. I notice he’s still wearing his tux but I can tell he’s spent the last few hours drinking. He laughs, shaking his head. “DUI… ranch mechanic, lives at home with his parents at twenty-four. What’s he going to provide you?”

I step away from him. “We’re not having this conversation.”

He grabs my arm, squeezing, slowly lifting his eyes to mine. “You owe me that much.”

I breathe out a shaky breath, tears burning and yank my arm away. There’s so much I can say to him right now. So much I should say. But I don’t. I guess maybe I don’t know how to put it into words. At least ones that will make sense. “I owe you? How long had you been sleeping with Gabriella?”

He snorts, but then laughs, shaking his head. My eyes drop to his hand and the bloody knuckles, as if he punched a wall. “You think I’m sleeping with Gabbi?”

My eyes lift to the hole in the sheetrock next to the engagement photo of us on the wall. It’s shattered. “You have naked pictures of her on your phone,” I point out. “And you said yourself you sleep with other women.”

He steps toward me, eyes so cold and angry. “Doesn’t mean I’m fucking her.”

I hesitate but stand my ground and move toward the bedroom to gather clothes. I’m taking what I need and nothing more. He follows me. “Okay.” I pause and open the door to our closet. “So you’re not fucking her, but you have naked pictures of her on your phone. Why? What does it mean?”

“I don’t know.” My back is turned to him, but I can see his narrowed eyes on the back of my head in the mirror. “We dated once. Before you.”

“She sent you pictures last week.”

“And you had phone sex with him while I was at work. Why do you care if I have pictures of her?”

I reach into our closet and yank out a bag, stuffing handfuls of clothes inside it. I don’t even know what I’m packing at this point. “What?”

His eyes narrow and he crosses his arms over his chest. “I came home that night you were on the phone with him. Before Christmas. I heard you two.”

I don’t know how to comprehend what he’s saying other than the date on the text messages on his phone was long before that night with Jace. They dated back years, and continued till two days ago. “Surprise. You found me out,” I say sarcastically. “I’m in love with someone else.”

And having his baby.

“You’re choosing him over me? That’s like choosing a single wide over a mansion, Abigale. Which is what you’re doing. I can give you everything.”

I pull the strap of my bag over my shoulder. “Everything but love.”

“You think I don’t love you?” he gasps, unprepared for my statement. “Why? Because I don’t fall to my knees and express my dying devotion to you?”

I don’t say anything because he knows that’s not what I mean.

“Does he, Abigale? Does he really love you?” He raises an eyebrow, his eyes hard and narrowed in on mine. “If he loved you enough, we would have never gotten to the church.”

Does he have a point? In some ways, maybe he does, but I can’t deny it had something to do with me. Jace wasn’t going to force me to make a decision just because he loved me. He knew love and my happiness might be two totally separate things. Or is it? I don’t know. I’m not sure I have the answers to anything at this point. Other than I need to get the fuck out of this condo and never look back.

Sighing, I blow out a heavy breath, hoping it relieves some of the pressure in my chest. It doesn’t. I only feel worse.

“Goodbye, Griffin.”

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