Page 82 of Bound to Him
My relationship with Alton was the perfect example of that. I’d trusted him too quickly, and as a result he’d broken my heart. I’d been stupid, but I wouldn’t hurt this dog like Alton had hurt me.
The dog crawled closer and laid his head on my knee. I patted it gently, cooing at him. “Look at you. You’re so beautiful. Perfect.”
The dog whined and huffed and leaned into me. His obvious need to love dug a knife into my chest. I knew exactly how he felt.
I turned to Jonas and said quietly, “I’ll take him.”
Jonas and Tucker both grinned.
* * *
It took lesstime than I expected for Brutus to fit in at my apartment. Even though it was small, he clearly enjoyed being home with me. He’d already sniffed every corner before he settled on the bed beside me, his head on my chest as I lay on the mattress staring at my phone. Antoine had texted me an hour ago, but I’d only gotten to looking at my phone now.
Antoine:I’m worried about Alton.
It wasn’t often that Antoine admitted something like this, and concern dug into my chest. I texted back.
Noah:What’s happening?
Brutus whined. His eyes were closed, so I thought he might have been having a dream. I slid my hand over his head and across his healed ear. “It’s okay, boy. I’m here. I’ll protect you.”
He blew out a big breath and slobber flew from his slightly opened mouth onto my shirt. I didn’t even care. I smiled until my phone buzzed again.
Antoine:He’s not eating. He’s working himself to death. I would usually never ask this of you, but could you call him? He won’t even talk to his mother.
I licked my dry lips and stared at the bright screen of my phone in the darkness of the room. The only light was from the lamp on the bedside table. I didn’t know what to say, and my thumb hovered over the screen before I finally replied.
Noah:I care about him, Ant, but I can’t do that. He made his choice and broke my heart. We’re over.
I sighed and stared at Brutus. He looked so peaceful here with me and I was jealous of him. I’d grown comfortable in Alton’s home, with him as my husband, and how quickly that had crashed and burned. I wouldn’t let the same thing happen to Brutus. Never again. He would always be loved from now on.
It only took Antoine another half hour to reply—afterhe added Athena to the conversation. I rolled my eyes. I shouldn’t have been surprised he’d told my sister everything.
Athena:You’re both idiots. You love each other.
Antoine:He misses you, Noah.
Noah:He sucks at showing it.
Athena:Of course he does. He’s a man. Duh.
Antoine:He’s an idiot, no one is refuting that. But he made a mistake. We’ve all made them.
Only Antoine would userefutingin a text message. I snorted, then laughed. It was funny how quickly Antoine had become my friend, even if it was strange. He was the last person I’d expected to be such a good person to be around, but he was awesome.
Athena:When I shadowed him, when he wasn’t talking business, he talked about you.
I stared at her words, my heart aching a little more. It’d been three months since we’d gone our separate ways, and he hadn’t done a thing to reach out to me. I wasn’t making the first move. I refused.
My gaze shifted to the tennis bracelet on my wrist, the same one I hadn’t taken off except to shower since I’d gotten it. Even though we’d divorced, I couldn’t bring myself to sell it or hide it away. It reminded me of Alton in every way. I’d also kept the jewelry he’d bought me the same day he’d ended things, and it stayed safe in my closet. Occasionally I took it out and stared, imagining what life would be like if I hadn’t been stubborn and I’d taken the gift and kissed him.
But then I wouldn’t have been what he’d taught me to be. Alton hadtoldme to stand up for myself, to stop letting people walk all over me, and that’s what I’d done, and I was proud.
I went into the gallery on my phone and swiped past all the Brutus pictures I’d taken already to the photos of me and Alton. Pictures of us at Big Bend National Park, standing in the beautiful water and laughing as another tourist took a shot of us with my phone. Another of us at his parents’ for Christmas. One of us eating dinner at the San Antonio River Walk. So many photos from Christmas through March. We’d been happy. Laughing, acting like a real married couple.
Fuck, it hurt. Why did it still hurt?
I went back to the conversation.
