Page 39 of Shattered Dreams
"That'sexactlywhat I need, Roman. A knight in shining armour to save me from the wreckageyoumade of my life. So get this through your thick skull—I'mnevercoming back because of whatyoudid. You hurt me beyond repair."
Tears stream down her face. I reach for her, but she slaps my hands away, the sound echoing in our bedroom.
"I'm sorry?—"
"Don't you get it?" Her voice breaks. "You were myeverything. You and Poppy—my wholeworld. You destroyed that. For what? A cheap affair with some pretty girl you claim you didn't even love?"
Her eyes burn with fury and pain.
"But it’s true—I didn't love her. I loveyou. I was an idiot, tired, fed up of being last?—"
"Tired? Fed up of being last?"
It sounds fucking pathetic when she says it.
The hurt in her voice steals my breath.
"You were myeverything." She lifts the suitcase from the bed. "Now you'renothing."
"Are you going to let me explain?"
"I don't know what you could possibly say, Roman."
"I'm sorry. I know I've said it a thousand times, but I'll say it every day for the rest of our lives. I love you more than I knew before this happened. Nothing means anything without you."
"You just regret getting caught. You're only sorry because your bit on the side went to the media."
I stare at her, shaking my head. "I ended things, so she went to the press. Yes, it meant telling you, but I didn't care by then. I knew you were my everything."
She laughs, the sound bitter and so foreign coming from her. "First, you never would've told me if she'd kept your dirty littlesecret. Second, I thoughtyouwere my everything too. Turns out we were both wrong."
"Ava, please." I put my hand on the door, blocking her path. "Don't leave me. Don't go with him."
"If you're worried about me sleeping with him, Roman, I can promise you I will be."
My world tilts. I stumble backward, her words hitting like bullets.
“Ava, you made a mistake back at the hotel?—”
"Let me think." She taps her finger against her lips, mock-thoughtful. "The hotel room—my god, he couldn't keep his hands off me. So many different positions, Roman. On the bed, against the wall, me on top riding him while he groaned my name."
Pain tears through my chest, stealing my breath and forcing me to listen to her.
"Don't, Ava..."
"Then the next morning when I woke up naked in his arms—god, he felt so good inside me. He made me come with my legs wrapped around his waist, staring into my eyes like he'd been waiting years for that moment. I don't think I'veeverhad sex like that—not even with you. Raw, desperate, like we couldn't get enough of each other. So enjoy those images, Roman. Just like I had to."
She turns and walks out, leaving me gasping for air. Every word is true—I can see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice. All I want to do is find him and tear his throat out.
"Oh, and before you blame him—don't. It was all me. I seduced him. I knew how much he wanted me." She shrugs. "Sorry."
I cling to the banister, unable to see through my tears. The pain in my chest feels raw, exposed. I watch her disappear downthe hallway, her beautiful laugh drifting up from the kitchen as she talks to Poppy.
So this is what it feels like to lose everything.
I splash cold water on my face, refusing to let Poppy see me broken. My hands shake as I make my way downstairs.
Ava looks up when I enter the kitchen.
