Chapter 36
VICTOR
Iwas walking to work the following morning when she answered my call, and her tired greeting made me stop in my tracks.
“Hey.” Her voice was soft and thin, like she was on another planet, and I could barely hear her.
Concern filled me, and I frowned, forgetting why I’d called her in the first place.
“Lila? Are you okay?”
“Yeah. You’re calling about my text, I assume.” Her no-nonsense attitude put me back in my place, but still, worry niggled in my chest.
She was carrying our baby. I hated the thought of her not feeling well. I wanted to make her better, and I couldn’t.
“Yeah.”
There was an awkward silence before I continued walking, glancing up and down the road before I crossed. There were barely any cars on the road at this hour, but you never could be too sure.
“I’ll be straight with you.” It sounded like she was sitting up, and her little groans made me clutch the phone tighter. “The house isn’t selling. There’s no interest. The realtor said maybe it’s the wrong time to sell.”
“Okay.” I swallowed.
“I won’t be able to work when I’m further along with the pregnancy, so I just thought…you could move back in to help with the finances. Then you’re not paying double rent, either.”
There was no, ‘I miss you,’ or ‘you can be around me for the pregnancy,’ but I didn’t expect that. This was logical. This was Lila when she was hurt.
“I can do that. I’d fucking love to do that,” I admitted. My building site appeared ahead of me, and I slowed my pace.
“It’s not a reconciliation, Victor.” Still tired, but firm. Backing herself constantly.
God, I loved this woman.
“I know that,” I responded tersely, coming to a stop. “But I’d still love it.” My voice softened, as it always did for her.
“It doesn’t mean anything. It’s pure practicality.” Lila yawned.
The stab in my heart from her words felt fresh, despite it already being a bloody mess.
“I know.” God, I sounded like a robot. “When should I come back?” I couldn’t hide the hope in my voice. The thought of being back in that house, living and breathing the same air as the love of my life, made me want to weep. I rubbed my eyes, the heaviness of my tiredness barely subsiding.
“You sound exhausted,” Lila said suddenly, and my eyes flew open.
“I’m okay,” I lied. “Just working a lot, that’s all.”
A lot? More like every fucking hour god sent.
“Well, I was thinking maybe this weekend,” Lila’s voice dripped with hesitation, so I quickly agreed. That was four days away, but I could do it. I could cope. “You can have the spare room.”
Memories assaulted me of she and I entwined in bed together, my arms wrapped around her as she pushed her butt into me, our bodies moulding perfectly against each other as we slept.
I’d die for that just one more time.
“Perfect. Thank you.”
Liar.
“See you Saturday.” The phone went dead before I could say another word, but I didn’t care, because I was going home.
And I wasn’t letting Lila go without a fight.
Fuck the divorce.
Fuck the house.
I’d lost her, and now I needed to get her back. In any way I could.
She’d left me. Burned my truck down and hated my guts. Changed the locks. She’d filed for a divorce and put the house up for sale.
But I still fucking loved her so much. I’d thought our marriage was over before—now I knew it was. That it should be—that I didn’t deserve her. But does the heart care about any of that? No. It wants what it wants, and that’s Lila.
I wanted Lila. Even after everything, she was still all I wanted.