“I…I know.” She needed another damn tissue. “I’ll think about it.”
“I’ll take care of the office today. Sean’s coming by to pick up a check for a solo he did yesterday. I’ll let him know you approved the other projects.”
But she hadn’t, and she sure as hell didn’t want to. What if he signed on for projects she didn’t approve of? The thought of another woman sucking his beautiful cock made her stomach twist again. She splashed cool water on her face. “I have to go.”
“We’ll see you tonight.”
She didn’t answer, instead pressed the Off button and set the phone on the vanity. She took the towel hanging from the silver ring next to the sink and cleaned up the mess. The sound of the shower coming to life had to be a positive step, right? The hot spray stung her back and shoulders, reminding her that she still had life left in her. Even through the patter of the water, she waited to hear his voice call out from the kitchen. The only sound she heard was the squeak, squeak from the rubber squirrel as Penelope chewed on it again. She didn’t remember buying the toy, so there was only one other option, and it made her cry. Loneliness greeted her again. Sean was safe and had obviously moved on in the week she’d spent in bed. The familiar pain wrapped around her, bringing sadness in its folds. Justin had won. She was unloved.
The bubbles from the soap slid down her belly in fluffy clumps while the steam forced her hazy thoughts to slow down. Tears fell to the floor with the raining water. It was getting old, crying in the shower. How many mornings had she spent in this very position? How many nights?
“No more…no more,” she cried, pounding the shower wall. “I don’t want to live like this anymore!” A tile cracked, and she laughed. “No more. No more.” With each breath, she felt a piece of freedom coming into view. Justin kept her fear, but he could never keep her love. That belonged to a fighter who’d put a hole in her wall, a man who might touch another woman and come for someone else’s eyes. She laughed again. He’d broken her wall and her heart in one punch. She wiped the water from her eyes and fingered the cracked tile. They weren’t so different.
Penelope licked at the wet floor as she toweled her arms. “Today, girl, we’re going to feel better, and tonight I’m going to Ron and Eric’s for a nice dinner. That asshole may have my number, and, well, maybe he was the one who left the rose petals, and he may know this is my business, but he doesn’t know I live up here, and I’m not going to let him have another minute of my life.
* * * *
“I can’t believe I got you to come over here,” Ron shouted before making a running leap into the deep end of the pool.
Sean swirled his feet in the clear water as the inflated raft rocked him across the shallow end. He couldn’t believe he’d agreed to it either. The lure of Xbox and zoning out had been too tempting to pass up. The walls in his apartment felt as if they had already started to collapse in on him, and he’d had to get the hell out, or he was going to go crazy.
Ron popped his head out of the water, his dark hair plastered to his head like a seal, before grabbing a gasp of air and dunking back under. Ron was a cool guy. Eric was too, for that matter. Spending an afternoon with the guys sounded like a good idea at the time. Now, floating on the inflatable raft, baking in the sweltering sun, made him more nervous than relaxed. What was she doing? Had the hole in her wall been fixed? Did Penelope like the squirrel he’d bought her? Had she found someone else to warm her bed, hear the sweet sounds she made when she came? Goddamn it!
The loud rattle coming from his stomach made him want to groan. The mac n’ cheese he’d made yesterday was still in the fridge. Hell, the thought of putting anything in his mouth made his stomach turn. For once in his miserable life, the cabinets and fridge were full, and it figured he’d lose his appetite.
Both Ron and Eric had commented on his eyes when they’d greeted him at the door. Black circles were common for a fighter; guess he’d just grown used to seeing them. If he thought Eric’s bathroom was a chamber fit for a king, it had nothing on the rest of the house. The sprawling estate resembled a vacation home more than a real house. Where Abigail’s apartment was warm and cozy, Eric’s house was pristine and spacious. Who really needed five bathrooms? Not to mention the cabana and tiki hut constructed on either side of the stone patio. It resembled a lush, tropical paradise with potted plants and small palm trees scattered everywhere. Any guest could walk out into the landscape and feel like he’d entered a five-star resort.