Page 68 of Cross Check My Heart
By the time I’m done with my overly sarcastic rant, Cam’s face is red. I tuck a stray hair behind my ear before dropping my arms to my side, clenching my phone tightly in one hand.
“I don’t know what you had hoped to accomplish by coming over here again, but do us both a favor and leave me alone.”
I don’t give him another chance to say anything. Holding my breath, I almost think he’s going to let me go without any more issues. That is until I make it to the step below him and he reaches out to grab my arm. Stumbling, I reach out for something to hold me up and am forced to grip him.
“What the hell, Cam?” I find my balance and turn to scowl at him as I try to rip out of his grip. He tightens his hold, helping me stand up straight but doesn’t let me go. With an eye roll, he tugs me toward him.
“Are you done with your rambling?” His voice drips with annoyance, I can only gape at him. How did I not notice during our relationship that he was constantly belittling or dismissing all my thoughts and feelings. If anything, Cam and my mom are more similar than I ever thought. I attempt to pull away again, only this time, my foot slips on the step and I’m forced to use him for support again.
“Lilly, stop. Let’s just go home, put this all behind us and everything can go back to the way it was.”
“Back to the way… Cam, you’re insane if you think I’m going anywhere with you. Especially after this.” I let go of him, motioning to his hold on me. I force myself to sound apologetic. “Things can’t go back to the way we were. We weren’t happy together, if we had been, you never would have cheated.”
I rack my brain trying to think of some way to calm him down and just get him to leave.
Maybe you should have had Paige or Garrett come back for you.
I shake off the thought, no use in worrying about what I could have or should have done. I did the only thing I could and called the police. So, if I can’t get Cam to leave on his own, at least they’re on their way.
Before I can think of anything else to say, Cam adjusts his grip on my arm and turns us to head down the stairs. When we get to the landing for the third floor, I take advantage of the wider area and plant my feet, forcing him to stop. He whips around, at this close angle, I notice even more how different he looks.
“Goddamnit, stop being so stubborn. Your mom was right, living down here is changing you. You’re upsetting your family and me. Just get over yourself and let’s go.”
“What the hell are you on?” It’s the only thing I can think of asking. Between the last time he showed up and right now, he’s acting like a completely different person. Yes, he’s a lying, cheating, self-absorbed asshole. But he was never like this. Not once was he ever physical or outright belittling. He’s always favored that “say something so sweet you almost don’t notice it’s an insult” kind of person.
This, right here, isn’t normal for him. However, thinking about how much I’ve changed over the last five months, it’s more than likely that he’s become someone completely different as well. The only difference is that I spent the past few months discovering who I am and what’s going to make me happy.
I’ve moved on.
I blink at the realization. The main reason I moved away was to do exactly that, but I had assumed that I would notice the moment it happened. Somewhere along the line, thoughts about Cam stopped hurting as much, and instead, became far and few between. When they did pop up, it was usually in a moment that I was about to work through something he did or said that hurt me without me realizing it before.
This time when I rip my arm from Cam’s grip, I break free. Trying to keep my voice steady and calming, I back away from him.
“Cam, stop. Fucking. Grabbing. Me. I’m not going back to Vermont with you. This is my home now, I have a life and a job. I have family, friends and a…” I cut myself off and go to move around him. I don’t owe him anything. He doesn’t deserve anything from me. He just needs to leave me the hell alone and let me live my life. Finished with the conversation, I decide it’s better to go wait for the police in the lobby or next door at the bar.
“And a… what? Are you seeing someone?” I’m stepping onto the second-floor landing when he finally speaks. I turn to glare at him and find him seething as he follows me down the stairs.
“That is none of your concern.” Moving to continue down the last flight of stairs, I bite my tongue when I hear him behind me. Before I can hurry down to the ground floor, he’s grabbing me again. I don’t even get a chance to lose my shit on him as he roughly pulls me back toward him and causes me to lose my balance. My foot misses the step as I try to find my balance, only this time, Cam isn’t ready for my additional weight.
In the blink of an eye, we’re both tumbling down the concrete stairs. When I finally stop at the bottom, my head hits the floor with an audible thud. For a long moment, I can only lay there, attempting to blink away the dizziness as my brain catches upto the pain. There is definitely something wrong with one of my wrists, and I’m probably going to have a bruise on my hip.
When I finally go to turn my head, my movement is stopped by a cool but firm hand on my cheek. Standing above me, holding my head in place, is Evalyn.
“Shit. I definitely hit my head.”
“I know, Hun, that’s why I’m keeping you still.” I close my eyes, half convinced that I landed harder than I thought if I’m seeing Eva. I haven’t seen her since that day on the beach with the workers from SweetHeart Publishing, so clearly, I’m not seeing right. Yet, when I open my eyes, she’s still hovering over me, glancing over her shoulder. When I follow her gaze, I see Cam laying a couple feet away as he holds his head and lets out a pitiful groan.
A sob catches in my throat as I tearfully stare back at Eva, the sound of sirens reaches my ears as she looks back down at me. She must see the question in my tear-filled eyes because she smiles at me sympathetically.
“Paige knows I work at the bar next door a few times a week and called me a few minutes ago. She asked if there was any way I could swing over and see if you were still here. Apparently, you didn’t text her back.” She glares back at Cam. “Now I see why.”
I can feel a tear finally escape and roll down my cheek. Both at the pain from the fall and the mess of emotions from this entire situation. Eva turns slightly as the stairwell door opens to reveal two officers. The sight of them makes me groan as I realize that I’m about to have another hospital trip caused by Cam.
So much for a simple fun night at a hockey game.
“You good?” Greyson nudges me as we sit on the benches after finishing our time on the ice. I nod, fighting the urge to look over my shoulder. We’re fifteen minutes into the first period, still sitting zero to zero, butthat’s not what’s bothering me. It’s the fact that right before I hit the ice this past time, I couldn’t find Lilly.
Her, Garrett, and Paige are supposed to be in the same seats they had last time, which is a few rows back from the team benches. Even Arianna is here again, chatting with Paige. What I was trying to not focus on, is the fact that right before I sat on the bench, Garrett and I made eye contact for a quick moment. My heart dropped straight to my stomach at the concern on his face.
