Page 59 of Unleashed
“Everly, I?—”
“Oh, my God.” My hand flies to my mouth, but it does nothing to hold in the sick rush that floods me. I stumble back a step, vision pricking at the edges like the world itself is trying to cavein. “The voicemails. You…” Fuck, I can’t breathe. “You tapped my phone?”
Anthony winces, like the word itself hits him. “Monitored. Not—Everly, it wasn’t like that. I just… I needed to know?—”
“Jesus Christ.” My chest caves inward, ribs locking up, the air punching out of me so hard I press my palm against the doorframe just to stay upright.
His cane drops, the thud loud and final, like a gavel sounding the end of…something, and he reaches for me, but I jerk back.
“Fuck, Everly. Goddammit. You shut me out. I needed to know what was happening, what was going on with you.”
“Do you even hear yourself?”
“I know.” He rakes a hand through his hair, eyes frantic, pleading. “I know I shouldn’t have done it. But I couldn’t stand it anymore—watching you destroy yourself over him, watching you pour everything into a man who doesn’t even pick up the goddamn phone. You sounded so broken, Everly. And I—” His voice cracks. “I can’t stand hearing you like that.”
“Then stop listening!” My voice shreds on its way out. “Jesus, Anthony. My phone? That’s not protection. That’s not even control. It’s a fucking violation.”
His jaw tightens, but this time it’s not with anger—it’s with shame. He looks away, staring at the floor like maybe if he avoids my eyes long enough, he can undo the words.
“You’re right,” he says, quieter now. “You’re right. I crossed a line.”
The betrayal digs deeper the longer I look at him. With every breath, it morphs into something twisted, ugly, vile. “Those messages weren’t meant for you.”
“I know.”
“They weren’t meant for anyone but him.”
“He doesn’t. Deserve you.”
“It was mine!” I press a hand against my chest. “My moments.Ourfucking moments that I shared with him. And you,” I narrow my eyes at him, “you stole them.”
“I didn’t mean?—”
“Don’t you dare say you didn't mean to! You made the choice. You crossed the line!” I slam my fists into him, anger bursting out of me in waves of red. “Do you know what those messages cost me? Every word was a piece of me, and you…you fucking stole them, you asshole!”
He grabs my wrists, but I jerk free, wrenching back. “Go.” My voice breaks on the word, a plea wrapped in steel.
He doesn’t move. Just stands there, torn and stubborn, like staying planted will somehow fix the wreckage he caused.
“Go,” I repeat, louder this time. “Please. Just go.”
“Ever—”
“Leave!” The scream rips out of me. “Just fucking leave!”
Anthony stumbles back, eyes wide, stricken. His mouth opens, like he wants to argue, to explain, but no words come. Only a slow nod, his throat working around what he won’t say.
He picks up his cane and takes a step back. And another. Eyes never leaving mine. “I love you, Everly.”
“Don’t you fucking say that.”
“I’ve always loved you. And I’ll never stop loving you.”
The words scrape over raw nerves, and I flinch like he just pressed salt into an open wound. I don’t reply. My throat’s too tight, my chest too crushed.
Anthony lingers for one heartbeat too long, his eyes searching mine like he’s trying to etch me into memory, and then he turns. His uneven steps retreat across the walkway, the tap of his cane fading until he gets into the waiting car.
The second he’s gone, I slam the door shut with both hands, hard enough to rattle the frame. My forehead drops against the wood, hot tears spilling faster than I can wipe them away.
