Page 11 of Unpredictable

“Good afternoon, Ms. Davenport. I hope your drive went smoothly,” he says with a friendly smile.

“Always. Enjoy your evening with your wife,” I tease.

“I always do.” He chuckles.

I make my way to the elevator and hit the button.

This summer has gone by in the blink of an eye. There’s no denying that my favorite part has been the nights spent with Sterling. Sage and Tinsley were quick to offer up an alibi for me. I know we have our rules, but it’s hard not to feel as if we’ve tossed them to the side.

I get off on the top floor and let myself into Sterling’s apartment with my key.

“Honey, I’m home,” I call out, even though I know he shouldn’t be home yet. I can’t help but smile at the thought of coming home to him every day as I set my purse on the entry table and my duffle bag down next to it.

I walk into the kitchen and grab a bottle of water from the fridge. As I lean against the counter staring out the windows, something on the floor catches my eye. I walk over to it and kick it with my heel.

Peach lace panties.

I don’t wear peach; it washes me out,my mind screams at me.

Don’t overreact,my heart begs.

I sit down on the chair in front of the panties, unable to look away from them. My hand covers my mouth as I try to pull myself together. A door slam down the hall, and I squeeze my eyes shut.

“Hey, you’re here early,” Sterling says as he walks into the living room sans shirt with his pants undone.

I quickly look away from him and swallow down my sob.

Of course he’s half dressed. Defend that,my mind counters.

Hear him out, my heart demands.

“Is she still here?” I ask while staring at the panties on the floor. Proof of his indiscretion.

“Is who here?” he asks, trying to act stupid.

“Peach lace girl.” I kick the panties with the toe of my heel.

Sterling hisses and mumbles “shit” under his breath.

I watch him stand up straight out of the corner of my eye.

“We’re not together, Victoria.”

Knife in the heart. Of course, he’s right. We aren’t together, and now we never will be.

I numbly nod. “That might be true. But we had a deal.”

“We did. We do.”

The panic on his face almost makes me cave. Almost. He knows he has been caught and he can’t negotiate his way out of this.

“How many years have we known each other, Brooks? Been friends?” I ask, still staring at the panties.

Sterling shifts uncomfortably. “Since we were kids. Elementary school.”

“Since elementary school,” I muse. “I would have thought that with being friends for well over a decade that you would have had the decency to not waste my time. I drive an hour every week each way to be with you, to spend time with you, and yet you didn’t even care enough about me to tell me the deal was off. You won’t even tell me if she’s here.”

My voice is calm. Too calm to even my ears.

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