Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 24833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 124(@200wpm)___ 99(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 124(@200wpm)___ 99(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
His eyes shine with a strange light.
“Tell me, Dani. Have you been moonlighting as an escort? Or maybe I should call you Danielle. Do you recognize that name?”
Tears swell in my eyes blurring my vision because he knows my dirty secret. I can see it now. I can literally witness the pain and hurt, not to mention the betrayal hidden behind the rage in his cold eyes.
“Hunter, Danielle is my full name. You know that. But I can explain. It’s not as bad as it seems--”
“Don’t even try to lie to me,” he says ruthlessly, turning away with disgust on his face. “I already know the truth. I met one of your dates today,” he sneers. “Dude shared some lewd details about you. In fact, he was quite descriptive. All the way down to that tramp stamp on your ass.”
My chest feels tight and it’s getting harder to breathe. For the first time I feel ashamed standing naked in front of the handsome man, so I wrap my arms around my breasts, trying to hide.
“Please, if you’ll just let me explain,” I beg again.
Hunter gives a quick jerk of his chin.
“What is there to explain? You’ve been fucking men for money behind my back. That’s pretty easy to understand.”
“No, that’s not …”
He throws his hands up.
“Don’t fucking lie to me, Dani. I know you’ve been working for that filthy escort service.”
I shake my head.
“No. I mean, yes. I did work for an escort company called Three Hole Girls. I know the name makes it sound bad, but it’s not what you’re thinking. Not for me. And I haven’t worked for them since our first night together.”
The doctor’s lips twist in utter disgust.
“You’ve been lying to me from the very beginning,” he says in a harsh voice, his eyes averted as if I’m so tainted that he can’t bear to look at me. “You’re a fucking whore who parts her legs for money.”
Tears spring to my eyes now because the situation is desperate.
“Hunter, I swear I didn’t mean to lie to you. I just didn’t know how to tell you, and then we were getting along so well, and then …”
“No,” he cuts me off. “I’m not doing this shit again. I’m done. I’m so fucking done.”
I reach for his arm, but he snatches it away from me and heads straight to the door.
“Hunter, please, don’t go,” I beg with tears in my eyes. “Let me explain.”
But he doesn’t stop. He doesn’t even hesitate as he yanks open the door and stomps out, leaving me all alone with my torn dress around my feet. I stare at the empty space as my heart splinters into a million pieces.
“I’m sorry!” I cry to no one. “I’m so, so sorry!”
A sob rips free from my chest as I fall to the floor, pulling the ruined scraps of my dress up against my body, clenching the material in my fists. Tears are rolling down my face in waves now, and I can barely breathe. I never knew anything could hurt this much. I don’t think I’ve ever cared about anyone enough to feel this torturous pain because Hunter is gone, and there is a very big part of me that knows he isn’t coming back. Not now. Maybe not ever again. And I don’t have anyone to blame but myself.
My whole body is shaking, I’m crying so hard. Clenching my dress to my breasts, I curl into a fetal position on the floor, pulling my knees to my chest while trying to hold myself together because the way this pain feels, I’m never going to be able to collect all my pieces if I stir even an inch. Hunter Lindstrom has left, and there’s nothing I can do to fix what used to be us.
10
Hunter
Three months later.
“Dr. Lindstrom, Ms. Moore said she had to leave.”
I drag my eyes away from the blank screen I’ve been staring at for, hell, I’m not sure how long.
“What, Ashley?” I snap, but then I force myself to pause, correcting my tone. “I’m sorry, Ashley. I didn’t catch what you said.”
My assistant looks concerned, but also a little annoyed.
“Ms. Moore, your one o’clock patient. She just left. She said she couldn’t wait any longer,” the woman enunciates in a careful tone.
A quick glance at the clock on the wall tells me it’s now almost two o’clock. I’ve left Ms. Moore waiting for nearly an hour and I haven’t even so much as looked at her chart. God, I’m fucking up everything lately.
“Goddamit, I’m sorry, Ashley. I swear I’m going to get myself together. I’ve just been struggling to focus these last couple months. Could you email me Ms. Moore’s contact information? I’d like to call her and apologize.”
Ashley nods. “I’ll send it right over.”
She closes the door behind her as she walks out and I drop my head back, pinching the bridge of my nose.