fully facing him, "what a

"The door w

nd

ir to fall around my face. His touch is familiar, too familiar. I try to shake off the feeling of déjà vu,

e's here, in my bed, in the middle of the night. "It's midnight, Ryan

to mine, soft at first. For a brief second, I lose myself in it-the taste

pulling away. "S

what you want, right? Isn't this what you'v

ering where he was, the way he flaunted Emily in front of me, the betrayal... But before I can form a cohere

It's like he's using every weakness he knows I have, drawing me in because he belie

e. But when he drags my nightgown over my head and tosses it aside, I don't resist. I don't want to. Instea

the heat between us. I've missed this-his weight on me, the way he makes m

ps leave mine, his hands fall away, and he pull

y, breathles

" he says, "you need to drop t

d me in the face. All of this, this whole sedu

that's what this is? You thought you could come

my wife, Julie. You do

anyone else. But you-you get to have your girlfriend, flaunt her in

n isn't tearing me apart. "We're still married. This thing with Emily...

I ruin. You already did that

ing about. But if you go through with this... boyfrie

at him, refusing to

now he's waiting for me to break, to take it a

turn my back on him. "Ge

sigh, he stands up. "Fine," he says. He giv

the door click shut, I rush over and lock it, my f

holding in comes rushing out. I sink to the floor, t

this... this stranger, so willing to destroy me? I try to catch my breath, but it feel

Hours? It feels like a lifetime. But eventually, the sobs begin to fade, leaving behind a cold, empty space insi

ar me down. But no more. I won't be that woman anymore. He doesn't

the floor. I won't l

o Luke's number. My thumb hovers

The phone rings once, twice, then I

says. "What'