“And then he fucked your bridesmaid.”
“Eris.”
“What? It’s true. Thirty minutes before you were supposed to walk down the aisle I opened that damn closet door and saw that bitch on her knees with his cock in her mouth.”
“Stop it,” Kallie said.
“No. I’m not. Because you need to hear this. For every woman you catch, there are at least two you don’t. This isn’t a one-off for James. It never is. They indulge and indulge until they get caught. Then they beg for forgiveness. Like he’s doing right now.”
Kallie didn’t even want to tell Eris about James’s admission of other women. It would only prove her point. Eris slid her arm around Kallie and pulled her close, and Kallie let her head fall onto her friend’s shoulder. Princess. He hadn’t called her that in years. It was his nickname for her when they’d first started dating and she loved it. Hoped it would one day make a comeback when their futures were bright and not so tense, stressed, and pulled to their limits.
“I loved being called his princess,” Kallie said.
“I know you did. And he knows that too. I understand. I know you don’t think I do, but I do. I’ve been in love a couple of times, and I know what women are willing to sacrifice to keep it.”
“What did you sacrifice?” Kallie asked.
She sat up and looked into her friend’s eyes while eating the food set in front of her.
“You remember that guy from my junior year? Dax?”
“The guy with the motorcycle. Right?”
“That’s the one. I was in love with that boy, Kallie.”
“I didn’t know that. Why didn’t I know this?”
&nb
sp; “Because I compromised a lot to be with him. We always did what he wanted and always went where he wanted to go. He told me about classes I needed to take and classes I needed to stay away from. I listened to his every whim because I was entranced by his muscles and his steely gray eyes and his free-for-all attitude.”
“Eris. Why don’t I know about this?” Kallie asked.
“Because I did the worst thing of my life because he asked me to.”
“What happened?”
“I stole for him.”
“What?”
“Yep. The money he used to spoil me, he got from robbing gas stations. Small grocers. Vegetable stands on the side of the road. I was so wrapped up in him that I helped him get away from four of them before I came to my senses.”
“Holy hell, Eris.”
“I was ashamed to tell you because I knew you would judge me. I knew you would tell me that man was no good for me, and I didn’t want to hear it. I could tell by the look on your face that James said something to you. He’s admitted to being with other women, hasn’t he?”
Tears sprang to Kallie’s eyes as Eris took her hands.
“No man is worth compromising your morals, Kallie. Take it from me. I almost ruined my life and got myself thrown in jail over it. You can’t just forgive him for the fucked-up shit he did to you, no matter how many good moments there are to hang onto. He did it. Repeatedly. And didn’t once apologize until he was caught.”
“Why did he do this to me?” Kallie asked breathlessly.
“I don’t know,” Eris said as she wiped away a tear, “but tonight is a girls’ night. And guys don’t intrude. So no more looking at your phone, or I’m flushing it.”
“Those are fighting words. You don’t touch a person’s phone.”
“Then turn it off,” Eris said. “Then it won’t matter who texts you. They won’t be able to reach you until you turn it back on. Plus, with the next place I’m taking you to, I’m going to need your full attention.”