Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 44

Jessica stepped out of Herbert's car.

Herbert got out as well, slipping his hands into the pockets of his trench coat. He watched her go, his expression soft, his gaze lingering as she walked toward the house.

She'd barely taken a few steps when his voice called out, quiet but clear. "Little Mute."

Jessica turned back.

Herbert's lips parted, as if he'd meant to say something else, but he simply said, "Goodnight."

Jessica smiled and signed goodnight in sign language.

Herbert stood there, motionless, watching until she disappeared inside.

Upstairs, Timothy pinched his cigarette between his fingers, snapping it in half. The glowing tip scattered sparks onto the floor. He turned off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness.

Ding-

Jessica keyed in her code. The door swung open. She hadn't even reached for the light switch when strong arms swept her inside, pinning her against the door as someone's lips crashed onto hers.

A faint scent of tobacco, edged with cedar, filled her senses.

It took only a moment for her to realize it was Timothy.

her wrists, his grip iron-strong, his body

was nowhere

door, the cool wood biting

kiss was fierce, possessive, his heated breath mingling with hers, as if he

skin. Jessica's nerves sparked at his every

welled up. Tears pricked

couldn't speak. Her resistance, feeble against his strength,

with both hands, he seemed to think she was

But then-crack.

palm landed hard against his

pale fingerprints blooming on his skin. Whatever desperate need had been burning

reached out and flicked

her breath coming in shaky gasps. Her tear-filled eyes glared at Timothy, raw

away, hair in disarray-while Timothy, save for some wrinkles in his suit jacket, looked every bit the composed man he pretended to be. But his eyes, dark and bottomless,

her silent accusation hanging

silence, cold and flat. "What, I can't even

the night

Just the two of them.

was asking for a divorce. How could he expect her to stay

after that? Her shirt was already missing buttons, torn by

furious, her movements sharp as she signed angrily, I told you-I want a

a sneer curling his lips.