Page 84 of Art of Love
“You’re an amazing woman, Jia. I think you’re amazing, but I won’t lie to you again.”
“I can’t stay in L.A. I think I’ll go back to Atlanta after... you know.”
“You could stay with me and look for another job. L.A.’s the pace to be for art.”
I shook my head. “I wouldn’t have the strength for it. I didn’t have the strength for this. It was Hunter who gave me that boost of energy. We worked well together. When I first got here, I was a mess, but he balanced me.”
“What about Hunter?”
“No, I wouldn’t want to impose that way and make him feel bad for getting the job over me.”
He stroked my cheek and leaned forward to plant a kiss there.
“I get it. Come here.” He pulled me into his arms and held me, where I allowed the tears to continue to fall.
***
Hunter
***
Igot worried.
That was why I went to her place. What I didn’t expect to see was her sitting in that park with that asshole’s arm around her.
She was crying about something. When I saw that, I wanted to rush over there and find out what was wrong with my girl.
I was mid-stride, maybe more because I took a few steps, then stopped when he leaned over and kissed her cheek, and she rested into him, running her hands over his arm.
Then fuck, like a coward, I stayed where I was, watching another man with my girl. Just like last time, but oh so different now.
Different because Jia wasn’t Emma, and I hadn’t caught her in the act of cheating, but that build-up was the same.
That day when I went to Collin’s apartment and heard the female sounds of pleasure coming from his room and recognized her voice, my blood had run cold, and when I rushed into the room and saw them together... it was a sight I would never forget.
Right now, I could see something was wrong with Jia, but Stephan was there comforting her, and they looked a little too intimate for my liking. The fact that he was holding her and she was allowing him to was enough to scare me.
It scared me because I didn’t know what it meant, and I couldn’t man up enough to find out.
It was so much worse when I watched them go into her apartment. Him with his arm around her. Her with her head against his chest as they walked.
What were they going upstairs for?
An hour passed, and he was still there.
After the second hour marched on and it was heading close to the third, I left.
I’d taken to sitting on the bench near the alley with the dumpster. I left and went home, my mind going crazy.
Crazy like it always did for Jia.
And there was the overarching difference between Jia and Emma.
I loved Jia. I actually loved her, and unlike with Emma, I would be hurt to lose her.
And to that prick.
It was ten o’clock before my phone pinged and a message came through from her.
