Chapter 13

“What’s up? Got a bee in your bonnet? Melvin sidled up to her, whispering sweet nothings, the air between them thick with ambiguity.

Jocelyn turned her head and forcefully pried his hand away, putting some distance between them.

She saw a flicker of annoyance in his eyes and remembered the way he looked at her after he put that woman in the car the other day. It hurt like hell.

Melvin stepped back, leaning against the wall, his expression cooling off

“What do you mean?” he asked

Jocelyn stared him down, only now realizing how little she meant to him

He didn’t even bother to offer an explanation

She didn’t want to go all harpy on him, interrogating who that woman was, or who he had been with during those two days and a night.

She pointed at the bag by the door, “Did my dad give that to you?”

“Yeah, Melvin glanced at it nonchalantly.

So, why’d you bring it here?”

“Well, I’m here, aren’t 1? Where else should I have taken it?

“You know damn well that’s my dad returning a favor. Even if you think it’s beneath you and don’t want it, you shouldn’t flaunt it in my face!” Jocelyn’s temper flared up.

Melvin frowned. So where should I have dumped it?

“Do you despise these things that much? Are they just not worthy of your precious attention, so you dump them on me? Jocelyn’s tone was sharp, she wanted to keep her cool, but she just couldn’t.

“You’re way off base. Melvin reached for her hand, “Come on…”

Jocelyn shook him off, “I don’t even know what my place means to you. Sure, I like you, but I’m not bottomless. Like this stuff, if you don’t value it, toss it. Don’t give it to me or flaunt it. It just makes us look like a joke!

“What are you trying to say? Melvin’s face darkened too.

Jocelyn took a deep breath, “I won’t be the other woman.

With one woman out in the open, one in the shadows, hoping to have it all?

Dream on!

The

just living day by day, in the moment. But now, even that’s too much,

a homewrecker, a mistress, a floozy

flicker from Melvin’s eyelids, he

in irritation, “No.”

Done playing?”

Chapter 1

into the bedroom. He didn’t even shut the

shut with

deep breath, filled with nothing but frustration and

she wanted to hear, but he wouldn’t explain, not one bit.

because they

to explain, it’s over

that they’d been crossed, no matter

make a

his clothes out of the closet, and threw them into his suitcase, her eyes starting to

burn

the door Judging by the rhythm, it couldn’t be

the door. It was Rose, her neighbor

I saw him standing down there all alone,

Jocelyn froze

He didn’t leave?

watching the time. It had been two

her mind, making an

sit still any longer and hurried down to look around. But there

scoffed at herself.

was she

he have nowhere to go? Why would he

cigarette in the nearby trash can, his eyes half-closed, with a smirk playing on his lips

at that moment, Jocelyn felt a sharp pain in her chest.

walked past him,

grabbed her hand just before she got into the elevator. He pulled her into the nearby fire escape, pinning her against the narrow corner.

are you doing? Let go of me!” Jocelyn was furious, her voice

on her, trapping her in his space, “If can’t bear to see me go, why didn’t you stop me?” he murmured, a low growl in

her head away, defiantly saying, “You’re imagining

here for me?”

“No!”

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