Mitch chuckled. “That had to feel damn good.”
He nodded. “Fucker couldn’t even take a punch.”
The hall filled with more than one snicker.
Tar stood in the doorway watching Keeley. She was wrapped in a robe and talking to Sheridan before they rushed her out. The helicopter could be heard as Ms. Jones was carrying on about how they should’ve been there sooner. One in every rescue, Tar thought. Keeley raced toward him once they were alone. His hands came up to stop her. “Don’t.”
Her head angled, “What?”
“I just wanted to make sure you were alright.” He backed away from her.
“Wait! What’s wrong with you?”
“Are fucking kidding me?” incredulity laced his voice.
Keeley followed him into the hallway. “I’m sorry but I don’t understand.”
That did it. He spun around and yelled, “What don’t you understand, Keeley? You let another man touch you,” he grit out, anger bringing a tremble to his hands.
“Kinda the way it works, Tar, when you’re undercover,” she retorted.
“Oh, no you don’t. Do NOT use ‘I was helping the good guys’ as your damn excuse.” He threw up his hands, fighting the urge to pin her against the wall.
“But I was,” she pleaded for him to hear logic.
“No. Call it, Keeley. You were feeding the demon demanding pain and found the perfect way to do it.” He waved his hand around. “It wasn’t enough under close guard. You went and did thissss,” he hissed, “on the side and behind my fucking back.”
Keeley couldn’t deny it. But he had to know, “I was going to tell you truth.”
“Really? When? Because in case you missed it, sweetheart, it needed to be before the shit hit the fan!”
“You’re right,” she admitted.
“Yeah, lot of damn good that does me.” He raked his hair. “How long?”
She didn’t even pretend to misunderstand. “Same time frame.”
“No wonder Braxton was sooooo familiar with your body,” he accused.
What could she say? The truth. “I thought I could control it. If I got my fix, then I could have a normal relationship with you. It was only supposed to be temporary. In my mind, I was helping others while taking care of my cravings.” Tears slid down her cheeks. “I’m sorry. Apparently I was being deceived.”
“Ha! Now that’s priceless,” he mocked. “The deceiver being deceived.” He shook his head and stormed outside.
Keeley wasn’t accepting that and ran after him. “Tar, you have to believe me!”
“Why the hell should I?” he roared, “You’ve lied to me from day one!”
Okay, maybe that was true, but never to wound him. “I never meant to hurt you,” she confessed.
“Too late for that, Viper. Damn name really does fit you,” he sneered, “in more ways than one.”
“Tar, pl-please,” she sobbed. “Tell me what I can do to fix this?”
“Can you take back that orgasm you had by his hand?” He spun around and hauled her up by the shoulders. “You let him, Keeley,” his jaw clenched tight. “God damn you…you let another man have what was MINE!”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. He was there. How could he hold her responsible for a forced orgasm? She meant to ask that very question but what her heart latched on to was the past tense he used. “Was?”
Tar let go of her and turned away. God this hurt! But he couldn’t be with a woman who didn’t love him. She proved that. Nothing she said would change the visual locked in his memory bank forever. “I could’ve forgiven you for the addiction. I would’ve helped you with it. Done anything for you. But you crossed a fucking line, Keeley. One I can’t forgive you for.”
She hit her knees on the unforgiving concrete. “Please, Tar. Let me make it right.”
He shook his head. “I’m afraid it’s too late.”
“N-n-nooooo,” she cried, “I don’t believe that. You love me.”
“I. Did.” Tar never turned back as she wailed his name.
Keeley screamed and screamed until he was out of sight. Until her voice was gone. Her knees a bloody mess from the bite of the road beneath them as she cried and cried and cried. But he was gone.
To be continued………