Her Reluctant Husband by Erica Marselas (summer beach reads txt) 📗

me to suck you off because of something you think I did five years ago.”

“I—”

“No. Please. I don’t need your confirmation for what you were about to do.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Are you though? Would you be if I didn’t fight back?” She shakes her head and bends down to pick up her fallen purse. “Would you be if I never told you anything of this?”

My eyes close tightly and the searing pain of everything she said is still scorching through me. Her words are harsh, but they carry a hard truth. I hurt this girl to get even with her for something she never did.

“I was fooling myself thinking that we could just live in this bubble; one where we could go on and never talk about that night. I’m an idiot thinking we could never talk about why it happened. That night was always the needle ready to pop us, no, implode on us. And the needle only got sharper and sharper every day as we denied and ignored it. I was too busy being scared and you were too busy not wanting to be wrong. Now, here we are. The bubble has popped, and we are shattered. And once again Deacon has come out the winner.” Her eyes drift away and her shoulders slump. “The thing is, I never had a chance with you. Liz made a mistake doing this. Her heart was in the right place, but she failed to see how broken we both truly are.”

“That’s not true.”

“Tell me, then? Do you believe me? Or do you still Deacon is sweet and innocent?”

“June,” I sigh, reaching out for her. I just need her, but she backs away again. Everything I have known has been spun upside down. I’m so lost. I’ve spent all my years hating her. I’ve spent years being deceived by someone I thought was my friend. For all I know, everyone is lying to me and I’m finally being let in on the biggest joke. I just need—

“I knew deep down I couldn’t trust you,” she growls, cutting off my internal battle, “because you would never trust me.”

“I’m not saying that.”

“You’re saying nothing!” she screams. She slips off her wedding band and thrusts it at my chest. I manage to catch it before it falls to the floor. “After today, the Alex I always loved and admired is dead to me. I’m done.” She marches out of the bathroom and I take off after her with the ring clutched in my hand.

“June, that isn’t what…” I yell after her, as she rushes down the stairs.

“Save it,” she calls back.

“June, please stop. I—” I grab her elbow at the end of the stairs, but I instantly let go when I see the fire in her eyes.

“No!” she hisses. “You had your chance. Now that this bubble is busted open, I see I’m tired of being around people that will never see my true value. I shouldn’t have to sacrifice myself anymore.”

“You won’t—"

“Oh, there you are. Good,” Whitney says as she comes running up the hall. She stops behind June, who is still facing me, and can’t see the thunderous look June is giving me. “Mr. Hayes is looking for you.”

“Whitney, I need you to tell him there’s been a family emergency and I have to go.”

Whitney smirks, looking between me and June. “Oh, so you caught her being a little slut after all, huh?”

June spins around, her fists clenched and I can feel the tremors of anger coming from her. “Excuse me?”

“I’m curious, June? Did you and Raf have a good time? I hear he’s amazing in the sack,” she sneers.

“Whitney, stop. It’s not what you think. Mind your own—”

“I should’ve known she was behind it.” June looks over at me and shakes her head. “You could never think for yourself could you, Alex.” She spins back around and glances at Whitney. “Well then, Whitney, why don’t you do my husband a favor and tell him about the pay off your uncle gave me to make me leave town? Since he doesn’t believe anything I say, I guess it’ll sound believable only from your mouth.”

“June, that isn’t—”

“No, you stop.” She whips her head back to me, sneering. “You had your chance. So, Whitney? You up for storytime?”

Whitney goes to open her mouth and June puts her hand up to stop her.

“Wait. Before you start, make sure you don’t leave out the part about how I was only given that money after Deacon raped me so viciously after the accident that he broke my jaw, my ribs…I can go on if you’d like, but it gets graphic. I’ve replayed it in my head so much, I can paint it out for you though.” Whitney’s lips twitch and she looks at me with uncertainty. The words hit us both with a slap in the face. June’s chest heaves, and I can see in her eyes she’s fighting back the nightmare to fight for her truth. “Oh, come on, like you didn’t know.”

“I didn’t—” Whitney stutters.

“Shut up,” June snaps. “I’m sure you both just think I’m making it up. Because it’s not what Deacon said,” she mocks angrily. “But you think your uncle just gave me a million dollars for the fun of it? No, it was used to fucking silence me. I mean, come on, use your brain. How damaging could my words be? I mean unless there was proof. And trust me, Whitmore had proof of how manic his son was.” She scoffs. “But no, go ahead and tell him all about your angel cousin and how he can do nothing wrong. How he was just looking after me and did all those horrible things to me because I wouldn’t listen,” she spits, and then her shoulders deflate and I see the storm leave her body.