Page 16 of Playing A Risk
“I’m on vacation until the New Year. If he needs something, he can email.”
“That’s an unusual response coming from you. You usually love talking to him. What’s going on with you two?”
My eyes burn, but I breathe through the threatening tears. “I’m just tired and stressed out. I won’t be working over the holidays unless my bosses call. Other than them, I only want to speak to you and Melanie. I need a break from everyone else, so I’d appreciate it if you kept this number to yourself.”
“Do what you need to get your head on straight. I’ll letJami know you’ll see him after your vacation if he calls again. And speaking of next year…”
My insides wrench. “Yes?”
“I’m going back undercover on the first. Let’s plan to speak before then.” Someone says something to him in the background. “Dori, I’m at headquarters and they need me. I’ll call you later. Love you, sis.”
“I love you too.”
We hang up and I’m grateful for the brief call. After I find a pen inside the desk drawer, I settle in and journal for a while. I try remembering everything that happened last night, but my mind is hazy.
From what I can gather, Jami and this Lauren woman have a son. They must have been engaged, but Jami broke it off since he asked for the ring back. However, Lauren won’t return it, so the breakup is obviously causing this reaction in her.
Jami would never turn a cold shoulder to someone in pain, but she was hitting us. He even said something about her doing it before last night, so why would he hold her?
Confusion and agony settle in every cell in my body. The only thing I’m clear on is how hurt I am that Jami would keep this from me. If he loved me like he said, he would’ve told me this long ago.
After many tears and no answers, I grab the pink throw off the bed and wrap it around my shoulders as I mosey out to the breathtaking balcony that connects to a rooftop terrace. It’s covered, so there’s no snow on the ground.
Jami must not trust me like I thought he did. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have lied or hidden his son from me. I shrink into myself, feeling small and worthless.
Why wouldn’t he have said something to me when he found out I was pregnant?
But I was avoiding him.
However, he always wants me to share my deepest feelingsand thoughts, so why won’t he do the same? The only obvious thing is that I can’t be with Jami now, not after he lied about this for months.
My heart’s broken, but I’ve got to move on. I plan to spend the next two weeks mourning my loss and after that, I’ll return to work with a renewed focus. I’ll force myself into metal armor to protect all parts of me from his deceit.
Walking away will be hard when I have to see him almost every day, but it’s what has to be done. I don’t know if I’ll ever stop loving him, but this betrayal is too much for me to accept. My only question now is why.
Why would he keep something like this from me?
I fall to my knees and weep into my hands.
Do I mean so little to him? And will I ever be able to move on completely?
My life’s in turmoil and I can’t see any way out.
CHAPTER 5
HUNTER
“Any ideason how you’re going to get Dori back?” Jonah leans over the pool table in his game room and takes the shot to break the triangle.
All the balls scatter and the solid red three-ball drops into a pocket.
“Solids.”
I nod, acknowledging his call. “Well, she’s staying at my place for the foreseeable future, so hopefully, I’ll get the opening I desperately need.”
“That was pure luck running into her like you did.” He continues to hit ball after ball into the pockets.
I should know better than to play pool against him. Other than women, it’s his favorite pastime.
