Read Tryst for Free Online Page B

horrified by the things he just said to me that I could barely breathe. But I wasn’t going to let him see that. He’d only try to use it to his advantage. I was going to be a freaking pillar of strength until I left here.
    He must have realized because he signed the papers.
    “This isn’t over,” he said, handing me back the pen.
    “Oh, but it is.”
    He pursed his lips. “I changed all the passwords on the bank accounts. Don’t think of trying to clean me out again.”
    “Oh …” I made a little shocked face. “I thought that was our money and not just yours.”
    “You know damn well who brings home the bacon ,” he snapped. “Your job is basically something to fill your time.”
    I didn’t bother mentioning I was no longer employed.
    That would be embarrassing.
    Thank goodness I “cleaned him out” when I did. At least now I had enough money to last me a few months before I would be totally broke. By then , I would hopefully have another job.
    I picked up the papers, the papers making our separation official. “I’ll have these filed immediately.”
    “Enjoy your little tantrum now, Talie,” Blake called behind me. “Because when you come back to me, I will not tolerate this kind of behavior.”
    I laughed.
    “Laugh now,” he replied. “You won’t be laughing when you realize I’m the only man that will ever want you.”
    His words pierced something inside me. Something close to my heart withered a little. Those words hurt me, probably more than they should. I knew the reason they hurt so much was because he was voicing a fear I never wanted to admit.
    The truth was no one had been interested before Blake, and I secretly realized no one else would be after him either.
    Even so, I kept walking.
    I’d rather be single than married and utterly alone.

6

    Talie
    I drove straight to Jack’s office and gave the papers to his assistant. I made her promise to get them filed that day. After vowing she would do it, I left before someone could tell Jack I was there. I wasn’t up for another “family intervention” about my marriage.
    I kept my end of the deal. I talked to Blake. It was offensive and frankly disturbing. How could I have been so wrong about him? Sure , he’d always had an ego, and yes, he knew he was successful. But I truly had no idea he had such a… a… good ol’ fashioned southern boy hidden beneath his exterior.
    You think you know a guy …
    Maybe I had seen the signs of the real him. Maybe I just didn’t want to admit what kind of guy he really was, because if I did , I would also have to admit I let myself get duped. That I was just as guilty for his behavior because I gave him the impression I would be okay with it.
    It was a mistake. A mistake I was correcting.
    Since it was too early in the day to start drinking (hey, a girl has to have her standards), I pointed my stuttering car toward the store Claire managed. I couldn’t really afford to shop right now since I was unemployed, but I could look… and maybe buy myself one thing. After the last few days, I think I earned something sparkly and new.
    Her “office” was on the corner of a popular street in Raleigh. Just about everyone I knew shopped there. They had the best clothes by the best designers and their accessories were always flying off the shelves.
    It was a mainstream store, with many locations across the US, so the prices weren’t completely ridiculous like some of the specialty boutiques in this area.
    The interior was brightly lit and well air -conditioned. Even though it was early in the day, shoppers milled around, most of them with purchases already draped in their arms. I browsed around for a bit, decompressing from the morning. Even though I was shopping, I barely paid attention to the things I was looking at because my thoughts were still focused on the things Blake said to me.
    He thought I would allow him to sleep around. He expected me to be grateful that he chose me to be his wife. He made me