Chapter 13 #2
I copied his stance, my body burning up in anger. Thankfully, my arms were crossed, so he couldn’t see my hands shaking. “Excuse me if it’s not up to your standard. You didn’t have to come here. As a matter of fact, why are you here?”
“It’s not up to anyone’s standard.”
I squeaked in outrage. “I think it’s better if you left.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “I’m not leaving.”
I wouldn’t be able to move him if he didn’t want to.
He was twice my size. I’d have to change my strategy before I caused bodily harm to myself when I tried to kick him, which was bound to happen if he continued telling me things I already knew and didn’t need him to point out.
“This is none of your business. You’ve overstepped. ”
He ignored me and continued with the pissing me off portion of the evening. “This apartment isn’t suitable for you and the kids.”
I never understood the saying “my blood is boiling” until now.
But that was exactly what I felt at the moment.
“Do you honestly think I chose to live here? I know it’s a dump, but it’s the only thing I could afford.
” My voice wavered, but I forged on. “Do you honestly think I want my girls to live here?”
By the end, I’d run out of steam, the telltale prickle of tears stinging my eyes.
“Mae.” Just the one word. But said in his raspy voice and with more feeling than anything else he’d ever said to me.
I was so sick of feeling helpless.
“I thought you were doing okay when you didn’t want any money in the divorce settlement. That you must have savings. But this changes everything. You need your husband to pay child support.”
A jolt went through me, icy fear gripping my veins.
Clutching onto Vance’s T-shirt, I leaned back.
“Don’t do anything to jeopardize the divorce.
I’ll make it work. This is only temporary.
I’m working on becoming a paralegal. Things will be better once I’m qualified.
” I took in a halting breath, my lungs refusing to fill up.
“I’ve told you before not to change anything. ”
“And you’ll be qualified when? In two years? Three? How are you going to manage until then? You’re barely making it as it is.”
A fist closed around my heart, squeezing tightly. “We’re fine.”
“You’re not fine.”
“How would you know? You barely know me.”
“You irritating, stubborn woman. If you won’t do it for yourself, then do it for your girls. Do you want them to grow up in this dump?”
I dropped my grip on his shirt like he was on fire. “How dare you insinuate that they’re better off without me.”
Vance grimaced as if he was in pain. “That’s not what I meant at all. I only said you could—”
I pushed past him and opened the door. “It’s time for you to leave.”
“Mae, that’s not what I meant.”
I pointed to the hallway. “It doesn’t matter.”
“You have the power to change your circumstances. Why won’t you?”
I took in his furrowed brow. He just couldn’t wrap his head around this. But he didn’t have to. Because he was my lawyer. And wasn’t he supposed to do what his client wanted? “Don’t do anything to jeopardize the custody agreement.”
He huffed out a breath and lowered his head. “If that’s what you want.”
I’d finally wrangled my emotions back under control. “It is.”
Nodding, he moved out of the room. I walked him to the door in silence. This was the first time I was grateful for the small apartment. The few seconds it took to get to the door were barely tolerable, the tension thick in the air.
Addy and Elana jumped up when they spotted me opening the front door. “Is Vance leaving?”
“But he hasn’t watched the movie with us.”
Vance crouched down in front of the girls, who’d followed us to the door. “I’ll watch something with you next time. Promise.”
I gritted my teeth when he made a promise he would be unlikely to keep.
I knew the girls wouldn’t forget. I only hoped I could come up with an excuse for why he wasn’t returning.
Because this thing, whatever was going on, had to stop.
I couldn’t figure out his motives, and I was exhausted trying to decipher my feelings.
They both gave him a high five before racing back to the couch.
Vance straightened, bringing his chest level with my eyes.
The T-shirt he wore stretched over his muscles, and not for the first time, I remembered what he looked like without it on.
I’d never been an overly sexual person, but with Vance, I was all too aware of the way my loose shirt brushed against my nipples, only covered by a sheer bra.
The way my core clenched when I caught a glimpse of one of his rare smiles.
Randy teenagers had nothing on me. This was something I hadn’t even felt when I was a teenager. And much to my annoyance, my feelings didn’t change even when I was mad at him.
“We’re not done talking about this.”
His threat made me clench my teeth. “Just promise me you won’t contact my husband’s lawyers.”
Vance growled, then ground out one word. “Ex-husband.”
“Not yet. But hopefully soon if you don’t screw this up for me.”
There was too much on the line. Because if Hank wanted to, he could take the kids.
“I have to go to Chicago tomorrow. But I’ll be back in the office on Wednesday.”
I gave him a silent nod, my grip on the door tightening. I didn’t want to think about the way my stomach twisted when all I should feel was relief at not having to see him for two days. I watched him walk out, then closed the door as soon as he’d cleared the threshold.
My knees buckled, but there was no way I could explain to the girls why I was sitting on the floor, so I remained upright.
Onward and upward, even if I felt like I’d done something wrong by kicking him out.