Part 27 (1/2)

He narrowed his eyes on her. ”So that's your method? You get p.i.s.sed and you withhold s.e.x?”

”I learned it from you, Keith,” Simone tossed back.

”Me?”

”You get in trouble, and you cover it with s.e.x. Well, it takes more than your d.i.c.k and this.” She reached on her finger tugging on the diamond rock and threw it at him. ”To fix us!”

He looked down at the ring that had fallen over to the bed. ”You're my wife. I have no intention of letting you go. Do you hear me? That b.i.t.c.h means nothing to me! I won't lose you over her.”

”Get out, Keith,” she winced sitting up. She had to get out of her c.o.c.ktail dress. When she moved, her head spun. She dropped it and saw the bruise on her arm.

”You're hurt,” Keith said. She could hear a tinge of regret in his voice.

”I'm fine.”

”I'll get you some ice.”

She rolled her eyes, rising, limping. Her face was wet with her tears. Who was she fooling? No matter how hard she tried to make her marriage work, she was miserable. She was angry. She was always in pain. It was too much. It was hopeless.

Easing her dress off, she looked over to her hip and saw another purple discoloration forming a bruise. Now, she was all banged up-the story of her life. Keith hurried back in with the ice pack but stopped at the sight of her bruise. ”Maybe I should take you to the hospital. It could be bad.”

”I'm fine. Please leave,” Simone said.

”Baby?”

”KEITH! GO!”

He gave her a wounded look. He set the icepack on the dresser and turned and walked out. Simone limped over to the door. As soon as he was gone, she locked it. Sighing, she wiped her cheeks free of tears, picked up the icepack and then returned to bed. The burn in her ankle and hip didn't compare to the burn in her heart.

Chapter Fifteen.

Confessions Kim If ever she needed to see Mathew, to just sit in his presence and absorb his male strength, it was now. And here he was. He walked slowly into the shadows of her living room, further away from her. The light pouring from under the lampshade hadn't chased them all away. Kim closed the door, and reengaged the lock, never looking from him. He was different, solemn. Absent was the usual confidant upright stride he imposed. Instead his shoulders sagged and his head bowed with his burden.

Kim tried to ignore the sick feeling of shame rolling through her gut. Thankfully, he either didn't notice or chose to ignore her tears. The man had done nothing to her to warrant her behavior. The last time he donned her driveway, he was in a great mood. Together they braved the elements with a little hope in having a good day.

”Would you like something to drink?” she offered.

”No thanks.”

She fixed her robe and smoothed back her loose strands of hair from her eyes, telling herself for the hundredth time that she was her own worst enemy. An apology would have to come from her first and be most sincere if she had any hopes of recovering their friends.h.i.+p. She opened her mouth to begin when he turned. His eyes, latching hold of her, shocked her system and diluted her confidence. She had thought he'd have that same pleading look for understanding in his eyes, a window of opportunity for her. But it wasn't so. He wasn't some meek man coming to her for absolution. There in his eyes was a glint of anger and enough pride to alert her to his purpose. This wouldn't be a friendly house call.

She was too exhausted to fight. Spiritually, she was beat. The last of her went out the door with mother. She didn't think she could survive another tongue-las.h.i.+ng. Not tonight. ”I'm sorry, Mathew. I had no right to attack you the way I did. It's late.”

”This won't take long,” he replied in a brittle yet clipped tone. She swallowed back on her guilt once again lodged in her throat and nodded that she understood.

”Okay.”

”I've been driving all night. I ended up here. Don't ask me why it matters or why I can't get you out of my head. I have no excuse for that. In fact, I have little excuse for anything that I've done.”

”Me either,” she quickly admitted. After another intake of a deep breath, she employed her determined will and clamped down on her anxiety to speak clearly. ”I've been thinking about you too. All day. I looked for you, to talk. But you were gone.”

He looked as if he didn't believe her. Of course he wouldn't. She had treated him like a cab driver, a mechanic and anything but a friend. And there was another truth to be found. She didn't have friends and could never really make them. Anne was the closest she had, and even she tired of her ways. ”It's like... I mean to say... I just.”

Before you say anything more, let me.” Mathew cleared his throat He commanded her attention but not through his words but his eyes. They held her transfixed by their beauty with such profound sadness she wanted to touch him. She spoke first, despite his request to be heard. ”I'm sorry. I had no right to talk to you like that. This is all my fault.”

”Kim, stop. It's my turn, okay?”

”I keep doing it, don't I?” Kim said.

”It's not that I don't want to hear you out, but I have to get through this. Okay?” His tone was uncharacteristically sharp. The bite left a sting. She crossed her arms over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to ward off the chill.

”Go ahead.”

He pushed his hands down deeper in his front pockets, causing his shoulders to bulk and his tall frame to lengthen. She stood in his shadow and then took a step toward him. She hadn't realized it, but she'd been slowly moving toward him since he arrived.

”Before I came to Mercy, I worked for the University Hospital at UNC, in Pediatrics. My dream job. It meant I couldn't live in Charleston, but I was close enough to my family. Thanks to the residents and my work, I was relatively happy.”

”And you love kids too, right? That's why you worked pediatrics?”

”I love kids. That's true. I used to work pediatrics. Not anymore.”

He ran his hand down his face. His eyes darted from her to the door. Was he thinking of leaving? He looked so uncomfortable, so unsure of himself. She feared he would. Then his eyes returned to her once more, but this time they lingered. She wasn't at her best. Her robe was new. she got it at Macy's on sale when she went to get the boys some new shoes last month. But underneath she wore an old t-s.h.i.+rt and panties. Her hair was half loose from her tuck, a tussled mess that she couldn't possibly fix on the fly. Not glamorous at all, but to be honest, she never really was. Simone was the prettier one.

They were standing, facing each other in her living room. She was just a foot away from him now. She s.h.i.+vered anew with the urge to go into his arms from that look he gave her. His eyes said what his mouth wouldn't. That he wanted to be touched by her. She resisted.

Kim wanted to know the truth. She did, but she had her own ugly truth too. A truth that threatened her children, her freedom, her ability to work in her profession and a truth he would be compelled to act on. If he told her his secrets, did that mean she would have to share hers?

”The hard truth is I can get pa.s.sionate about things. Angry.”

”Things got out of hand?”

Mathew blew a long breath. ”Where do I begin?”

”Do you have to? I don't have to know, Mathew. Tell me it was an accident and that it's none of my business. It's okay.”

”No, it's not okay. I want to tell you. I have to tell somebody or I-”

”Or what? Everyone has their secrets,” Kim admitted.

”Maybe, but you can't go through life hiding the truth and hoping for the best. It just comes out anyway. Right? I can't move on unless I admit it.”

”I guess,” she said, looking away.

”There was a girl. Her name was Lucy. She was three years old.”

”A patient?”