He moved over to the shoulder and stopped before a bigNOPARKINGsign. He turned to me, and I could see the ache in his eyes. “I’ll fix it. I’ll earn your trust back. I don’t know how, but I’ll spend every day of my life trying.”
I shook my head and told him the truth. “I don’t know if you can.”
“Don’t say that,” he begged. “I—”
“You what? Yousleptwith her.Kissedher. Gave up time and attention that you should have spent on me, on her. And you lied to me about everything.” I started to cry, my words sticking, my breath sucking out wet little sobs I couldn’t control.
I’d known for weeks, but the wound still felt raw, as if the pent-up emotions had been incubating in my chest and were just now bursting free.
He undid my seat belt and pulled me to him, lifting me over the armrest and against his chest, my legs too long for the position. Clutching me to him, he kissed my forehead, my cheeks, my nose, my lips. “Please,” he begged, his voice ragged. “I can’t live without you, Cat. I was weak and stupid. It meant nothing.”
I was stiff under his touch, unswayed by his emotions. “She needs to be punished, William.” I pulled away from his chest and looked up into his eyes. “She can’t do what she did to you to anyone else.”
He nodded, ready to agree to anything. It was the moment I’d waited for, the final nail primed and ready for her coffin.
“Call Nicole in PR. Leak the murder attempt and her firing to the local papers.”
He hesitated. “Cat, I just want to be done with her. Forever.”
“And Ineedyou to do this. To show her that you’re done. And to punish her for doing this to us.”
He didn’t like it. I could see it in his eyes, in the wary way that he nodded, then pressed his lips against my forehead. “Okay,” he whispered. “I’ll give her a call as soon as I drop you off at the police station.”
“Have her do it today,” I demanded. “It needs to be front page by tomorrow.”
“I will.”
I met his mouth and melted into his kiss, the connection fed by his emotion. In that moment, I didn’t forgive him, but the scab over my wound grew a little bit thicker.
I found Matt at the police station, seated at the end of a long line of chairs. He stood and pulled me in for a hug that smelled of sweat and pizza. I squeezed him back and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek. He’d do well without her. He had money and was kind. He’d find a new young wife who laughed at his jokes, looked great on his arm, and could suck-start a Harley.
I smiled at Matt. “Looks like you made it through last night.”
“Barely.” He sat back down in the chair and glanced at his watch. “My head is killing me.”
“What happened with Neena last night?”
“She came home for about a half hour. Packed her stuff and then left. I’m not sure where she spent the night.”
Yes, I’d be curious to know where Neena had ended up. I’d spent the night in bed with William, still frosty and aloof, stretching out his punishment while I watched the fire flicker in our bedroom hearth and enjoyed the thought of a lonely Neena checking in to a cheap hotel room.
“Where’s William?” Matt nodded out the front window of the station. “I saw him drop you off.”
“He’s going to the office for a few hours. I told him I’d call him when I was done.”
He nodded, and I saw the tightening of his lips, the flash of anger in his eyes. I didn’t blame him for being mad at William. The men had been friends, and not in the twisted and backstabbing way of Neena and me. I struggled to find something to say. “William was selfish, but he wasn’t manipulative. He had a weak moment one day. He wasn’t pursuing her, and I know he didn’t intentionally mean to hurt you, just like he didn’t mean to hurt me.”
He shrugged. “I still hate him. He got her, and despite what you said last night, it looks like he’s keeping you. It just doesn’t seem fair.”
I nodded, part of me struggling with the same emotions. But this event would change us for the better. If we emerged from this with a more loyal and open marriage, I didn’t need to punish him out of spite. And I had this chip, this history, to use at any future point in our relationship if I needed it.
My stomach growled, and I instinctively put my hand on my belly to cover up the sound. Matt’s eyes followed the movement. “Do you feel okay?”
I forced a smile. “Yeah. My stomach’s still a little temperamental.” I reached in my purse and pulled out the package of saltines. I had skipped breakfast, complaining of stomach pain, in an attempt to subtly remind William of Neena’s poison. It had worked, his face darkening, manner shifting, and he’d brewed me some chicken broth and made me promise to come home and relax after this meeting. As a result, I was ravenous. Between my hospital visit and stress over Matt’s “murder attempt,” I was down four pounds in three days. I was starting to daydream about cheeseburgers and pound cake.
Matt sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. “You wouldn’t believe Neena. She won’t admit to anything. She’s still denying there was anything in that limoncello.”
Yeah, I bet she was. I would have paid a million dollars to see the look on her face when Matt accused her of poisoning me. I stuffed the saltine in my mouth to keep myself from smiling. Drinking a shot of antifreeze had been risky but well worth it. I’d known that William would rush me to the hospital. Putting a couple of drops in Matt’s drink had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, an easy one once I convinced him to try the limoncello, also.