Consumed by darkness

e

wanted was a peaceful weekend to catch my breath. But the sight of Sarah, my mother

rying to sound cheerful as I

barely masking her irritation. She allowed me to hug her

uld I be if not in my own home?" I f

nising me, but I held her gaz

ked, her eyes darting a

t...to meet a

o much as a glance in my direction. It seemed as if the more I tried to conf

owned.

't fond of Matt, even though he had been friends w

led out her phone from her purse and strode into the living room. "I s

, her phone on speaker as

She asked as so

ce, Mother,"

Satu

y did yo

e demanded. "I'm

e at my

She s

es," he added before

attention to me, her gaze racking over me from head to toe, lingeri

referring to the butterflies inked on my lower bell

and a crop top, in my

ver ended well with them. I sat down on the sofa across from her,

o where Sarah sat. He leaned down to kiss her cheek, but s

lightly, her expression shifting to one of conce

have be

swers. "You should take care of your health. I thought

ed, my eyes darting b

me anything ab

ounced, kissing his moth

over and reached out, my fingers brushing against his as I began unbuttoning his shirt. I expect

omoted?" I a

dn't

was

." He repli

not to think of how much his indiff

it was necessary. After all

mile. "Congr

e. Then he pulled away, taking off his shirt and tossi

e closet. I followed behind, watching his back. T

on to her wedding?" I asked,

ied, picking o

r?" I asked, even tho

told him about dinner with my parents, he sai

business tri

lanning on telling me about it,

and that look of irritation and disgust in hi

noth

doing

t?" I aske

g to accommodate me," he s

another fight brewing, and instead of giving him what he wanted, I backed do

you are good at. Saying sorry," he spat, grabb

did, we always

♡♡♡

, most of them my father's associates who still referred to me as Miss. Carter, even th

lie posing for phot

urprise as she pulled me into a hug. "I

lling. Cong

smug satisfaction. "Isn't my weddin

s isn't a competition b

called, and she

d the wedding in the first place, especially after Sam tol

th. Most of them were from college and high school, people who clung to old g

and we've never been anything close to friends. We o

I turned, my heart skipping a beat when our eyes locked across the crowded room. T

hear him, I was certain he mouthed the word, "Beautiful." He took a step forward and then another, closing the distance betwe

ended up mak