Chapter 17
EVERLEE - LO SIENTO DOUCHECANOE
Brady pulls out of the airport parking lot close to an hour later.
“Can Brady take me home?”
The air in the car shifts.
Chuckling, I say, “I’m not running away. I just…”
“What time are you coming over, then?” Callum asks.
My eyes widen. “I love sex, but I don’t know if she can handle anymore tonight.” I point down below.
“No. Not for that.”
I look at him, confused.
“We want to take care of you and just hold you. We’ve fucked you over these last several days and haven’t really had the opportunity to take care of you afterwards like we should.”
“It’s not your fault.” They couldn’t help that their rental wasn’t equipped with a tub built for a small football team.
His hand brushes through my hair. “That doesn’t change the fact that we want to do it and you deserve it.” He presses, “What time?”
“I need to eat dinner.”
“Emmett will cook you something.”
I smile. “You’re going to have all the answers, aren’t you?”
He nods. “Rule one.”
I press my hand to his chest. “I thought we were past all the rules.”
“Never. If we were, then what would you have left to break?” He stares at me, waiting for an answer.
“Give me an hour after you drop me off.”
“We’ll have Brady drop us, then come back and get you.”
“He doesn’t need to do that.”
He puts his hand on mine, and I can tell there’s no use arguing with him.
“Fine.”
“Good girl,” he says playfully, without the usual sexual innuendo, running his finger along my jaw.
Even though he’s only teasing and not using his dom voice, those two words still send a tickle up my spine. “Thank you, sir.” I wink back.
We pull up to the front of my building twenty minutes later. Callum looks at his watch. “Brady will be here around seven thirty.”
“That’s not an hour,” I say slyly.
“Come when you want.” He boops the end of my nose. “I know you will, anyway.”
I lean forward and give them each a quick kiss before I jump out of the car. “See you in a little while, darlings. Ta-ta!” I wave over my shoulder and grab my bag from Brady.
“See you in a bit, Ms. Everlee.”
“Thank you, Brady.”
It isn’t until I’m inside the building that Brady pulls away and I inhale a deep breath.
I’m home.
We’re home.
The weekend hadn’t gone fully as planned, and I didn’t get any time to figure out what I want to do, but really, what is there to figure out?
I’m not going to be stupid enough to leave them again, but the questions still linger.
How are we going to do this? I’m still terrified of getting hurt, but…
I think that’s more of a fear that exists because of dickface.
I don’t want anyone to hurt me like that again, but I also can’t live in fear and not put myself out there, because I’d miss out on everything else. All the wonderful things out there.
I let that fear win before. It won’t win again.
When I get to my floor, I see a heap of clothes bundled near my door. What in the world?
When I get closer, the clothes move and then stand up.
I gasp, shock taking my breath away. “What are you doing here?” I snap.
“Ev,” Dickface pleads. “I had to see you.”
“You could have called,” I say, unlocking my door, but keep my hand on the handle.
“You wouldn’t have picked up. Can we talk?”
“No, we can’t.”
“Please?”
“No! N.O. I can’t understand why it’s so hard for you to get that.”
“I miss you.”
“You really seemed like it when I saw you at your birthday party. Is that what this is all about? You saw me, and want to weasel your way back in?”
“No. Not exactly.”
“I don’t have time for this. I have plans tonight.” As I push my door open, a new feeling smacks me in the face. It feels so different in my apartment now. With everything that’s happened over the weekend, it just feels lighter.
“With him?”
“Who?” I spin around, head smacking back into reality.
“The man from the club.”
“It doesn’t matter who I have plans with. It’s not you. And it’s none of your business.” I start to shut the door, but his hand smacks against it, holding it open. “Rich,” I caution, eyes set into a glowering stare.
“Just give me five minutes. That’s all I want and then if you say—”
“When I say.”
“If you say leave, I will.”
“And you won’t ever come back again?”
“Never,” he quickly answers in an upbeat tone.
He thinks he’s still talking to the old Everlee.
The one he could manipulate and guilt-trip into anything he wanted.
The one who always forgave him because she believed all the garbage he spewed, because she was terrified of being alone.
The one whom he convinced that if it wasn’t for him, no one would like her or love her.
The one who thought he was it, her rock.
Sucks for him, because she died when the relationship died. This Everlee is strong and knows her worth, thanks to the four men she’s going to see later tonight. This Everlee doesn’t need a man’s validation to feel worthy because she knows she’s worthy without it.
“Fine. You have five minutes. I’m setting a timer, and when it goes off, you will leave or I will throw you out.”
He chuckles.
“I’m not kidding,” I return with a cool glance.
“Ev, don’t be like that,” he coos, trying to work his charm.
Lo siento douchecanoe. It won’t work.
I hold up my hand and use my other to set the timer. “You have five minutes.”
“Ev.” He tilts his head to the side, trying to be cute.
“You’re wasting time.”
He huffs. “I wanted to start off and say I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for the way I treated you during our relationship and after.”
My brows rise, but I don’t speak. Did he expect me to take that and fall to my knees and forgive him?
He continues, “I know I don’t deserve you, but I can’t picture a life without you in it. You were. Are! My everything. And I was such an idiot for letting you go.”
“You didn’t let me go. I left after I found out you were sleeping with three other women.”
“Yes. I was broken. I needed something that you weren’t giving me in our relationship.”
“So it’s my fault you fucked other people?”
“No. Jesus. Fuck! Stop twisting my words!” he yells, then catches himself. “I’m sorry. I’ve been going to therapy to help deal with my problems. Mine. Not yours.”
“That’s great.”
“See, I’m trying to change. For you.”
“You should never try to change who you are for another person. I learned that the hard way. You need to change for yourself and only yourself.”
“I mean, I am. I’m changing for me, but also to show you I can change. I should have treated you so much better. You were my world, and I completely stepped all over you and didn’t treat you the way you deserved.”
He pauses like he’s waiting for me to correct him and tell him he didn’t step all over me and treated me great, but I’m not here to make him feel better about how shitty of a person he is.
“I haven’t been with anyone since Valentine’s Day.”
My head snaps back in shock.
“Well, not in a relationship.”
That makes more sense.
“See, I’m being honest.”
“Congratulations?”
“Stop.” He laughs like I’m teasing him.
I’m not.
I glance at my phone. “Just under two minutes left.”
“Ev, what can I do to make you forgive me and give me another chance?”
“There is nothing you can do. There is nothing left to forgive. I don’t hate you.
I’m not mad at you. I have moved on from you because I don’t care about you anymore.
You mean nothing to me. I can see you in the street, or hell, waiting for me in front of my apartment door.
” I hold out my hands in front of me. “And not care.” I grab his wrist and look into his eyes.
“I hope you hear me when I say this. We are never getting back together. There is nothing you can say or do that will change my mind. I’m glad you’re getting the help you need because I want to see you happy, but it won’t be with me. ” My timer dings.
He looks at my phone, and his face falls. “Ev.”
“It’s time for you to go.”
“Come on, Ev.”
“Let’s go.” I push him towards the door.
“I hope you don’t think the club owner will give you anything better than what I can. You don’t think he’s going to cheat on you when those half-naked girls are throwing themselves at him?” He laughs condescendingly.
“Fortunately, who I spend my time with, or date, or fuck, is absolutely none of your concern.”
“If you kick me out, then we’re done. When he cheats on you and breaks your heart, I won’t be there to take you in and pick up the pieces.”
“At your next therapy session or whatever you’re doing to help with all your problems, ask them if they can teach you how to take no for an answer and not lash out like a petulant child when you don’t get what you want. You’re a narcissist. Ask about that too, and learn empathy.”
“Ev,” he pleads in the hall, his reactions giving me whiplash.
“Thank you for stopping by and having this talk with me. I’m glad you’re getting the help you need. I truly mean that.”
“You don’t want to do this!” he yells, pressing his hand on the door. I can see panic in his eyes and hear the fear laced in his words as he realizes he no longer has an ounce of control over me. I’m stronger, and it’s thanks to my four men.
“But I do, Rich. I really do.” I start closing the door.
“Goodnight and goodbye.” When the lock clicks, I stand there for a moment, letting my pulse slow down.
He hits the wall in the hall and mumbles something, so I roll my body over and peek through the peephole and watch him leave a moment later.
I let out a sigh.
I’ve done it.