Page 108 of Fault Lines
Cam went still, his eyes narrowing. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve been seeing Nate. But unlike you, I stuck to the rules. Only Thursday nights.”
His jaw clenched hard enough to splinter bone. I hadn’t meant to tell him, but I wanted him to hurt, even a fraction of what I did.
“You slept with him?” The words were flat as death.
I only nodded.
He glared at the carpet, breathing so hard he shook. “Do you love him?”
The question caught me off guard. Did I love Nate? Of course not like I loved Cam.
“I care about him,” I said after a long moment. “I wouldn’t have slept with him if I didn’t.”
He looked so stricken I nearly lost my resolve. I edged past him, dragging the suitcase, while he stared holes in the floor.
By the time he blocked the closet door, I’d packed half my things.
His voice shook. “I know I shouldn’t be angry. I did this. But I am. I want to kill him.”
“It’s not his fault. He was there for me when I needed someone. He helped me get through all of this. I don’t know what I would’ve done without him.”
A single tear tracked down Cam’s cheek. Seeing him cry almost unmanned me. For a moment, I wanted to hold him, wipe it away and say we’d survive this. But I couldn’t.
“Don’t leave me,” he whispered, shattered.
I zipped the bag the rest of the way. “I need space, Cam. I need to figure out what I want to do next.”
“We can work this out. I’ll stop seeing anyone else. I never should have started, but I thought it would fix things. I was wrong.”
My own tears stung. “It’s too late now. There’s a baby coming, and you can’t just walk away from that. I won’t ask you to. I just know I can’t raise a child that’s proof you lied to me. As much as I love you, you broke us.”
He sobbed once, then bit it back. I eased past him, suitcase trailing.
His hand caught my arm, gentle but desperate.
“I’m begging you, Livi. I’ll do anything. Go through my phone, track my location, whatever you need. I know I’ve lost your trust, but I’ll get it back. Please don’t go.”
The heat of his hand on my skin nearly undid me. Even now, I ached to turn and curl into his arms. But I couldn’t.
“I can’t, Cam. Not right now. I need time.”
He dragged his hands through his hair, wild and beautiful and so heartbreakingly mine. At least, he used to be.
“God, I messed up so bad. I didn’t see it until now. The thought of losing you is killing me. Don’t make any final decisions tonight. Give it a day or two. You don’t even have to leave—I’ll go, get a hotel, whatever you want.”
I shook my head. “I can’t stay here. Not tonight. I need distance. Away from the memories.”
He followed me down the stairs, eying the half-empty wine bottle on the counter.
“You can’t drive, baby. Not after drinking. Let me give you a ride, at least.”
He was right, though the thought of sitting in a car with him was unbearable. His nearness was dangerous; it made me want to give in. I needed space, not more closeness.
“I’ll call an Uber,” I said flatly.
He sounded wrecked. “Don’t go running to him, please. Not just because I ruined everything.”
