Page 57 of Derailed
“Nando’s! Fuck, yes!” Austin joins us at thecounter.
A chuckle escapes my lips as everyone reaches for food and stuffs their mouths as if they haven’t eaten in days. They don’t even bother with plates or silverware, just unroll one end of the foil wrapped tortillas and takebites.
“Come on, Jess. Eat.” Sean bumps my shoulder with hiselbow.
“I will.” I laugh and grab one of the burritos. I should find Coy now, but I really am hungry. I eat a few bites, hoping he’ll join us on his own, but that doesn’t happen. Delaying the inevitable won’t help. I fold the foil back over my food and catch Trent’s stare. “Is Coy upyet?”
Trent shakes his head. “Haven’t seen him. I think he’s still out for thecount.”
“I’m going up to check onhim.”
“But you didn’t finish your food.” Sean narrows his gaze at what’sleft.
I pat my belly and roll my eyes. “I can’t keep up with you. I don’t know where you put it all, but I’m good.” I stick my thumb over my shoulder. “And I should really go check onCoy.”
“Yeah, right.” Sean nods, but there’s no ease to his smile. “We’ll save some for youboth.”
The guys continue to eat and talk, their voices fading as I walk to the front room and up the stairs. Down our hallway it’s all quiet but for the hum of the air conditioner. It’s almost too much to hope that he really is still asleep. I turn the handle and step in our bedroom to find the lights out and the darkening shades drawn shut. I let the door swing closed behind me with a soft click, and it takes a few minutes for my eyes toadjust.
“Babe?” I walk to his side of thebed.
“I’m right here.” I jump at the snarl in his hard reply from behind me, and there’s no sleep in his voice. He clicks on a lamp and floods the room with light, and once again my eyes work to catch up. Cracking his knuckles, he sits on the ottoman next to our dresser. He’s too still. Toocalm.
An eeriness settles along with the growing fear in my belly. “Coy, are you okay? Why are you sitting in thedark?”
“Where the hell else am I supposed to sit, Jess?” He lifts one eyebrow and narrows hisgaze.
“Coy?” I take a step forward but his next words stop me from comingcloser.
“What the fuck is going on?” His tone is controlled, his voice low, and the hair on the nape of my neck stands up withdread.
Shaking my head, I take a step backwards, already anticipating his charge. “I don’t know what youmean.”
“Damn, you do.” He shoves to his feet, stalks across the space between us, and shoves a small piece of paper in my face. He wads the paper into a ball, throws it on the bed, and turns away to pace the length of theroom.
I don’t know what it says, and curiosity gets the best of me. I reach out and retrieve it, ironing out the crinkles to read the note.No, no, no. Sean must have left it thismorning.
Coy turns, approaches like a brooding storm, and rips the note from my hands. His other hand grabs my arm just above the bend in my elbow. “Are you cheating on me? Withhim?”
“Sean? What? No!” I say, but it’s no use because the minute my eyes lift to his I can tell he’s already gone. You can’t stop a tornado once it’s begun. The only thing to do is weather the storm and pray you survive the chaos. Hope the destruction isn’t too devastating torebuild.
“You are, aren’t you? You’ve been an unfaithful little whore. Just like when I found you.” He shakes my entire body from where he yanks myarm.
“Coy!” I say as calmly as Ican.
“Don’t Coy me. You know exactly what I’m talking about.” His eyes narrow to slits and he shoves me so I fall back onto the bed. It’s only a moment before his body’s over mine, pinning me to the mattress. His hand slides over my breast, up to my neck, and cups my throat. “Are you fuckinghim?”
I try to shake my head, but his hand doesn’t allow me much movement. “The only man I’ve been with since the day we met has beenyou.”
“Don’t lie to me.” His fingers tighten around my neck. He’s rougher than he’s ever been but I know he’s just upset. I made him this way. “You like him, don’tyou?”
“Baby. Don’t. I can’t—” His fingers squeeze and holy shit—I may pass out. Tiny lights, like spotlights, glitter at the edge of my vision.Oh, God.No.I don’t even have the will to fight him. My lips won’t move, and I’m so close to giving in to the darkness. But before I do, he loosens his hold enough for me to suck in air. I gasp. Oxygen fills my lungs and my visionclears.
I don’t even see his hand come. The sharp sting of his slap gains him my complete attention. “I know what you’ve been up to. You think you’re clever, don’t you? Doting on him right under my nose like I won’t notice. Like I don’t know you’re always waiting for him outside in the mornings. That you two have your little private chats? Does he make you feel special? Is that it? Does he make you feel like more of a woman than Ido?”
Tears gather in my eyes, but I blink them back and shake my head. Crying never works; it only makes things worse. “No, Coy. It’s not like that atall.”
He slaps me again, so hard my vision dims and my earsring.
