Phoenix Rising(61)

She might as well get used to the gilded prison. She had nowhere else to go. With Connor at her back, she might’ve had a prayer. But after Will so cleverly portrayed her as nothing more than a lying whore with a forked tongue, how could Connor ever trust her?

Forget trust, Connor had never gotten over Melanie. It was obvious in the way he spoke of her. He’d admitted to loving his childhood sweetheart, something he still hadn’t ever said of Jessa. Then, instead of showing him how much she loved him, Jessa had followed in Melanie’s footsteps of betrayal. If ever there’d been a chance for the two of them, it was gone now. Will had made certain of that.

Jessa’s agony erupted in a gut-wrenching moan as she cradled her face in her hands and wept bitter tears. If she’d only taken the time to be completely honest with Connor. Instead, they’d both been too busy protecting themselves to worry about honesty. Now Jessa was left to sink back into the numb reality of her endless marriage to Will.

Clamping her jaw shut on her pain, Jessa stood. Water sloshed over the edge of the tub and left a trail of bubbles across the tile floor. Jessa ignored the mess. She reached for a towel and stepped out. It was time to face the music.

Bedtime was horrible. Jessa dressed head to toe in pajamas before exiting the bathroom. It felt weird to climb into bed with clothes on. Weirder still was seeing Will’s boring face staring intently at the television while he watched some Learning Channel special.

Will completely ignored her. It was a mixed blessing, as Jessa didn’t have to make ridiculous excuses not to let him touch her. But it made her miss Connor more fiercely than ever.

Jessa wanted his arms wrapped securely around her. Especially on a night like this, when so many horrifying things had happened all at once. Jessa wanted his mouth on her skin and his cock deep inside her pussy. She wanted him closer than close, to make him come deep inside her body and fill her with his essence until there was no way to tell where she stopped and Connor began.



* * *



Alex frowned when he spotted Connor sitting alone on the bench. “Where the hell is Jessa? Did they have to take her to the ER for a rape exam?”

“No.” Connor didn’t expand. He heaved his aching body off the chair and walked away, forcing Alex to follow or be left behind. He’d aged a hundred years that night. Nothing in his life would ever be the same again. Jessa had gone, and she’d taken everything good in his life with her.

“Connor, wait!” Alex grabbed his arm.

“She left, Alex, with her husband. I think it’s a safe bet that we won’t see her around the bar again.”

Alex’s shock showed in his expression as he trailed along in Connor’s wake toward the car.

“Get in,” Connor demanded, sliding into the driver’s seat.

Alex hurriedly closed the door behind him and pulled the seatbelt over his shoulder. “You can’t leave it like this, Connor.”

“You know he’s not even filing for divorce?”

“Yeah, I suspected as much this afternoon. Jessa was pretty upset about it when she came in.”

It took a moment for Connor to digest this information. “Wait, you knew? And you didn’t think to mention it?”

“Why do you think I was pushing you to come clean with her?”

“How would telling her about my past have avoided this? Her husband never wanted to leave her. It was all a lie.”

“I can’t believe that, Connor.” Alex frowned. “I think he did leave her. That was what drove her to us and especially to you. You knew she went home for a few days to sort things out with a lawyer. She called Terry. I know she did because I’ve talked to him since.”

“I never should’ve fucking let her outta my sight!” Connor growled, knuckles white on the steering wheel.

“I swear Connor, you’re all gut reaction and no brain. Think for a minute, will you? I know she didn’t lie about her intention to get a divorce. You know it wasn’t her choice to begin with. Why would she lie? What did she have to gain? She loves you.”

“You still think that?”

Alex pursed his lips. “You don’t?”

Forcing his emotions in check, Connor remembered a whispered conversation in his bedroom. She told him her husband left her. She also said it hadn’t upset her. She never loved him. Why? Because she loved Connor. How had he returned her love? He’d sent her back home with the same bastard that’d tied her in knots to begin with.

Connor’s mind conjured a cherished image of Jessa splayed out before him, pussy glistening with her creamy arousal, begging him to slide his cock deep inside her.

Alex’s sharp voice forced him back to the moment. He was pounding the steering wheel. “Hey, stop killing my car. You can fix this tomorrow.”