Heir Of Shadows

L

ot; my mind stayed stuck replaying the same horrific scene over and over again. Mason

tary. The way he looked at me-caught, guilty, desperate. My h

oncern as she handed me a cup of water. The qui

a word since you got

alk to me

s, the warmth barely registeri

to say?" My v

him in our bed....with.

k. Did he come with another woman? or has he been a

her face was evident as she stumbled over th

t. I'd been anticipating this day all

a jerk, okay? A lying, selfish je

Three years, Avery. Three years of my life are gone. And for what? For him to h

e. "You didn't deserve this. Not even a little. And if he thin

ng away from her embrace. "I don't want hi

t the window, the city lights blurring in the distance. "I need to call

e serious? I can do the Miami getaway,

osed to do?" I snapp

life wondering why he opted to sleep with a man," My voice quivered as I fo

"No, you're right," she said finally. "He is a lyi

reminder of what I had just witnessed," I pleaded. She flu

do. I will sort out some change of clothes. We will order pizza and cry till our eyes hurt."

," She

***

first time in a while, I had the most peac

od rest?" I found Avery in the liv

espond, a knock at the d

t up to answer it, and I didn't bother looking. My head throbbed

I heard h

ara

he was-Mason-standing in the doorway wit

th confusion and fury. "You have a lot of n

o talk to her,

o you!" Avery shot back, sl

isper. She turned to me, her anger softenin

ara

d, though my stomach c

ecked-his hair disheveled, his eyes red-rimmed. For a brief momen

d. She sighed. "I'll give you two some space,

turned to me. "Elara, ple

to. But some part of me still wants to list

for everything. I didn't mean for you to find out lik

I expecting? That he would tell me that was his fir

sn't I enough for you?" I was about to have another nervous breakdown, but I knew Avery wou

" he blurted. "It has

e've had sex on that bed, Mason! A couple of time

thought I could push it down, ignore it. But I couldn't. And then I messed up-Go

sh," I said, my voice trembling. "You strung me along for three years knowing this? And

s eyes filling with tears. "I wa

sing

d don't you dare stand here and make this about you? Do

ched, s

" I whispered. "And

ara. I still love you. I still want you,

ha

hesitated, and for the first ti

. "What abo

ne cautious. "And considering everything that's happ

I could wing through it

her can't know that his only son is gay. It will

growing in my chest. "Wha

ary. So, no one needs to know about my little secret. We could stay together until

keep my job," I blinked, sure I hadn't heard him right. "You wan

ly. "Just long enough to smooth things o

ed, my voice rising. "You think I'd sacr

me, destroyed our relationship, and now you're trying to

pulation," he

And I'd rather be broke than st

ou feel, you've made your choice. But don't c

t me, Mason. You're the l

ent longer, his jaw clenc

appeared almost instantly.

ration. "He wants me to stay in a fake relationshi

"He said that?

off. "Or... I guess I have been fi

softened, her anger g

knot in my stomach told me otherwise. "I

n me, losing my job couldn't have come at a worse time. And

ed; it's a ca

l, Elara," The person on the other end of t

ay to en