Daniel

I have two lives.

One with the woman who owns me. The other tied to a past I can’t escape.

For eight years, I kept them separate, knowing one day their collision was inevitable.

That day has come.

She’ll have to accept it.

It’s over.

Vivian 

He has two lives.

A beautiful one with me. Another shrouded in ugly secrets.

It didn’t matter, until now.

I don’t know why he’s destroyed us,

But fighting for him will be the battle of my life.

It’s not over.

“What’s with all the bags in the hallway? Are you going somewhere?” I said lightly, still smiling despite my nerves. When he didn’t respond right away, didn’t even glance up from what he was doing, I obeyed, for once, sinking into a seat with the desk a barrier between us.

He snapped the file in front of him shut. I flinched. His knuckles were white as he clenched the edge of the folder and stuffed it into the cabinet under his desk. The locked clicked in place with a decisive turn of the key, the sound setting me on edge.

“No. Those are your belongings.” He gazed at me stoically, his onyx eyes cold and distant.

“Mine?” I asked dumbly.

“It’s over.”

Two little words sent the world crashing down on me. This had to be a joke. Not two minutes earlier, I’d been excited to be home. Couldn’t wait to see Daniel to tell him about my day. His generosity had made so much of it possible.

I fought to keep the hot tears pooling in my eyes at bay, the man I loved a blurry vision sitting across from me like a stranger.

“I’ve secured an apartment for you and deposited a generous sum of money into your account. You can keep your credit cards. It’s not fair for me to turn you out with nothing.” His lips were moving. I heard bits and pieces, but none of it registered. All I could do was stare blankly at him. “If the money isn’t enough, or if you need more, I’ll take care of it.”

Each word was like a slap, stinging my heart instead of my cheeks. I tried to take a deep breath but came up short.

“No.” It was all I could manage under the circumstances, and it felt like quite an accomplishment.

“No?” he repeated incredulously, eyes flaring, sparking my senses to life.

“No,” I reiterated, this time with some backbone.

“Don’t make this difficult.”

My eyes narrowed. “Did you think I would make it easy?” I growled, clenching my jaw.

“Have you ever.”

A writer. A blogger. United by our love of stories and all things romance. There was definitely some insta-love. Hello? Books involved. A little courting. A lot of writing. The result…Grahame Claire. Soulmates. Unashamed of our multiple book boyfriends. Especially the ones that rooted in our heads and wouldn’t leave us alone. Don’t worry. We’ll share. Pleased to meet you.

 

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