Inferno Anthology by Jessica Sorensen, Aleatha Romig, Kailin Gow, Cassia Leo, Lacey Weatherford, Liv Morris, Vi Keeland, Kimberly Knight, Addison Moore, Laurelin Paige Page B

I can waltz in and do whatever the hell I want.”
    She stared at him, angry, hurt, frustrated and lost. “Why didn’t you call? Why couldn’t you just let me know…?”
    “Because it was none of your business.”
    Her jaw hurt from the pressure of biting down so hard. “Bastard.”
    He shrugged.
    She didn’t want to cry… not in front of him. She couldn’t let him see… “To hell with you.”
    “Ah, the little New Yorker finally comes out.” He came to stand at the end of the dining table, his gaze condescending and belittling. “I was beginning to wonder if you had any of that New York fight in you.”
    “If you think I’m going to pick a fight with you, you’re wrong. I’ve had enough of this.” She hurried to the sofa, grabbed her purse and headed for the door.
    “What, and you’re not bringing your things? Old tactic, darling. Every woman who leaves my apartment leaves something behind. Oh, sometimes it’s just a memento, something to remember her by, but it’s usually an excuse to come back… back to see if they can’t get me to change my mind.”
    She rushed back to her room, shoved a few things in a bag and returned. “I’ll come back for the rest when you’re not here.” Without looking back, she hurried to the door.
    “Don’t.” The condescension had left his voice that’d suddenly reverted to that of the lost little boy.
    Her hand on the doorknob, she hesitated and hated herself for it. When he said nothing more, she opened the door.
    “Taryn, don’t go. Don’t leave me alone.”
    Staring at the carpet in the hall, she murmured, “These past days, all you’ve been telling me, in every way possible, is to leave you alone.”
    She heard his steps behind her and knew the tears would flow the moment he touched her.
    “I’ve had plenty of time to be alone.” He grasped her by the shoulders and pulled her back into his chest.
    Her head fell until her chin rested on her chest. Tears burned their way down her cheeks and dripped off to splash on the floor.
    “Please put up with me a little while longer.”
    “You don’t deserve it,” she muttered.
    “I know, but I’m asking you to all the same.” He tugged on her shoulders, urging her to return.
    For a moment, she held her ground. “Why should I, Errol? You’ve done nothing but use me when you want and toss me aside when you don’t.”
    “Come.” His voice was gentle as he guided her inside and closed the door. “How about some wine?”
    She sat on the sofa and nodded as she wiped the tears off her face.
    He returned moments later with two glasses and a bottle of red wine. “Truce,” he said as he sat beside her and handed her a glass. Keeping one foot on the floor, he leaned back, stretched one leg out behind her on the sofa, and pulled her back to recline on his chest. “How’s that for a truce?”
    “This does little to explain or excuse how you’ve treated me.”
    “Come now, Taryn.” He wrapped one arm around her waist. “You’ve enjoyed it just as much as I have. Don’t play so innocent.”
    He was right and she had little in the way of argument. For a long while they sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts as they sipped their wine. When they’d emptied their glasses, Errol poured a little more.
    “Nana’s name was Simone,” he finally said. He almost choked up on the words. “I don’t know how old I was when I finally learned that. For the longest time, I really thought her name was Nana.”
    Smiling wistfully, Taryn nodded.
    “Her husband died and left her with seven kids to clothes and feed. For the longest time she’d tell me he’d had a heart attack, but she finally admitted, when I was of age to drink, that he’d gotten into a drunken brawl. He was thrown out of the bar, hit his head and died a few hours after that.”
    He took a long, slow sip of wine, sighed and remained silent for a while. “Whenever I complained about things being too hard, about not wanting to do a