word you say. And I never will.”
A fist hit the door and it shook. I jumped back.
“Damn it. Carly, I’m trying to be understanding here. We haven’t known each other that long and you’ve been through so much. But I have never given you a reason to doubt me and your accusations are making me crazy right now.”
“Oh, I get it. This is all my fault, then. Whatever you do is on me now, right? You don’t want to hurt me but you have to. I’m driving you to it. That sounds familiar.”
“Jesus, woman. I am not your piece of shit ex-boyfriend.”
“No,” I replied, all emotion drained from my voice. “You’re worse.”
There was silence on the other side of the door. It both thrilled and horrified me to think I might have actually hurt him with my words.
I went to the sink and splashed some cold water on my face and looked in the mirror. My long, curly hair was a mess of tangles. My face was pale and drawn as if I’d been out in the cold for days. Even my lush, long body looked smaller and weaker. Like the life was being sucked out of me. And, I supposed, this new betrayal had done just that. Bled away what I’d been so carefully rebuilding. What I told Sam was true. Maybe he’d never laid a hand on me in anger like Phillip. But he’d destroyed me just the same.
“Look,” Sam said finally. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on here, but I’m not going to argue with you. As long as you promise not to go back into the city I’ll leave you alone for the rest of the night. Is that sufficient?”
“No. If you want me to trust you, do what I asked. Slide the keycard under the door and go get in your car. Honk the horn so I know you’re out there.”
“Why? Where are you going?”
“Away from you.”
“Fuck. Fine, whatever. I don’t know why I’m trying so hard to protect you when you seem set on getting yourself killed.”
I didn’t rise to that bait. “Keycard.”
After a few seconds I heard him rummaging around and then heading back towards the bathroom door. I braced myself, hands and weight against the wood in case it was a trick, but Sam just slid the two keys under the door without saying a word.
I pressed my ear to the door and then heard the motel room door open and slam shut. I waited a little while, wondering if he was still in the room, but there was only one way to know for sure. I pushed the bathroom door open a crack and peered into the dark room beyond. From that limited view it seemed empty, so I stuck my head out and scanned the space. Sam was gone, though his bags were still on the floor.
I crept out and headed towards the window. A car door shut and a horn honked briefly. Through a tiny slit in the cheap, thick curtains I saw the overhead light on in Sam’s car and his shape behind the wheel.
Unfortunately, now that he’d done what I had asked, I wasn’t sure what came next. I couldn’t stay in the motel room. If he wanted to come back all he had to do was ask the front desk for another key.
I knew I had to get back into the city. Go to the police station or somewhere. Now that I knew who the enemy was, I could save myself. It was the thing he’d kept me from doing all this time, and now I knew why.
Still formulating a plan, I grabbed some of my clothes and pulled them on, keeping my eyes on Sam’s car. He just sat there for a long time, facing forward. Probably trying to see if I would come out. But eventually he leaned over into the passenger side and disappeared from view.
Like I flash I grabbed my shoes and purse and was out the door. I sprinted as fast as I could around the corner and down the row to the front office. I didn’t look over my shoulder to see if he was following, there wasn’t time.
When I reached the office I slipped inside, heart pounding and my breathing heavy. The guy behind the desk was in his late fifties I’d guess. He was pudgy and very pale, mostly bald and wearing thick glasses, reading a newspaper. He glanced briefly in my
A fist hit the door and it shook. I jumped back.
“Damn it. Carly, I’m trying to be understanding here. We haven’t known each other that long and you’ve been through so much. But I have never given you a reason to doubt me and your accusations are making me crazy right now.”
“Oh, I get it. This is all my fault, then. Whatever you do is on me now, right? You don’t want to hurt me but you have to. I’m driving you to it. That sounds familiar.”
“Jesus, woman. I am not your piece of shit ex-boyfriend.”
“No,” I replied, all emotion drained from my voice. “You’re worse.”
There was silence on the other side of the door. It both thrilled and horrified me to think I might have actually hurt him with my words.
I went to the sink and splashed some cold water on my face and looked in the mirror. My long, curly hair was a mess of tangles. My face was pale and drawn as if I’d been out in the cold for days. Even my lush, long body looked smaller and weaker. Like the life was being sucked out of me. And, I supposed, this new betrayal had done just that. Bled away what I’d been so carefully rebuilding. What I told Sam was true. Maybe he’d never laid a hand on me in anger like Phillip. But he’d destroyed me just the same.
“Look,” Sam said finally. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on here, but I’m not going to argue with you. As long as you promise not to go back into the city I’ll leave you alone for the rest of the night. Is that sufficient?”
“No. If you want me to trust you, do what I asked. Slide the keycard under the door and go get in your car. Honk the horn so I know you’re out there.”
“Why? Where are you going?”
“Away from you.”
“Fuck. Fine, whatever. I don’t know why I’m trying so hard to protect you when you seem set on getting yourself killed.”
I didn’t rise to that bait. “Keycard.”
After a few seconds I heard him rummaging around and then heading back towards the bathroom door. I braced myself, hands and weight against the wood in case it was a trick, but Sam just slid the two keys under the door without saying a word.
I pressed my ear to the door and then heard the motel room door open and slam shut. I waited a little while, wondering if he was still in the room, but there was only one way to know for sure. I pushed the bathroom door open a crack and peered into the dark room beyond. From that limited view it seemed empty, so I stuck my head out and scanned the space. Sam was gone, though his bags were still on the floor.
I crept out and headed towards the window. A car door shut and a horn honked briefly. Through a tiny slit in the cheap, thick curtains I saw the overhead light on in Sam’s car and his shape behind the wheel.
Unfortunately, now that he’d done what I had asked, I wasn’t sure what came next. I couldn’t stay in the motel room. If he wanted to come back all he had to do was ask the front desk for another key.
I knew I had to get back into the city. Go to the police station or somewhere. Now that I knew who the enemy was, I could save myself. It was the thing he’d kept me from doing all this time, and now I knew why.
Still formulating a plan, I grabbed some of my clothes and pulled them on, keeping my eyes on Sam’s car. He just sat there for a long time, facing forward. Probably trying to see if I would come out. But eventually he leaned over into the passenger side and disappeared from view.
Like I flash I grabbed my shoes and purse and was out the door. I sprinted as fast as I could around the corner and down the row to the front office. I didn’t look over my shoulder to see if he was following, there wasn’t time.
When I reached the office I slipped inside, heart pounding and my breathing heavy. The guy behind the desk was in his late fifties I’d guess. He was pudgy and very pale, mostly bald and wearing thick glasses, reading a newspaper. He glanced briefly in my
Similar Books
