“She’s married, Topher!” he screamed his response in my direction before finally addressing the man standing inches from him. The remorse took over, and the depth of his loss came oozing out. “Look at the fucking pictures. She was absolutely gorgeous, and I wasn’t there!”
Lynn chimed in trying to sooth the savage beast. “None of us were there, Gray.”
He fisted his hair and pulled, and it appeared to be hard, before he lowered his voice, thinking no one else would hear. But it was so quiet in that place, I could have heard a pin drop. “No, Lynn. I don’t mean as a goddamn guest. I mean as her fucking groom.”
My attention snapped back to Gray, and one of the guys from shipping grabbed my arm, as I started moving toward him. “You need to stay the fuck away from my wife. You understand me, Gray? You’re done. Leave her the fuck alone.” My voice shook with anger, and just as the last word came out of my mouth, Annie’s best friend laid into him, and that alone was worth the price of admission.
I was having a hard time concentrating on the scene in front of me with the other DC workers clamoring around me trying to keep me from attacking Gray. But even as I shook them off, I managed to keep my focus on Lynn.
“Do I need to remind you that you’re married? And it isn’t to Annie.” Stepping away from the wall she’d shrunk up against, she was in his face, and her finger was in his chest, poking him with each point she made. “You pulled that trigger. You walked away from her, Gray. Who the fuck do you think you are? You think you could cheat on her, use her, walk all over her, and she was just going to let you keep fucking doing it? Jesus, you are one selfish, fucking prick! I can’t believe part of me actually felt sorry for you.” Her hands dropped to her side, and the tension that had pulled her body into a tight line ebbed as her shoulders relaxed along with her voice. “She deserves Brett.” Her entire tone changed as she spoke of her friend with love. “She deserves someone who will love her the way she loves—completely. Jesus, you are so damn infuriating.” Lynn just bested my anger. She was pissed off and not just a little.
Gray was back in her face with Topher stepping between them. I needed to stop the entire scene, but I just stood there completely blown away by everything that came out of his mouth. Lynn reached around Topher to nudge him out of the way before both of her hands landed hard on Gray’s chest. He stumbled back before coming back at her, but she held her ground and never so much as flinched.
“Fuck you, Lynn. I know she deserves better. I know I was a piece of shit to her. But, fuck, you know I love her! Everyone knows that, including my fucking wife! There is not one person who has ever been around the two of us, together or not, that doesn’t fucking see it. I realize I screwed myself. Why the hell do you think I’m so damn angry?” He threw himself into the chair I’d seen Annie sit in a hundred times to talk to Lynn.
“Let her be, Gray. Let him love her. Let him take care of her, be who she needs him to be. Don’t deny her this. You and I both know if you don’t leave her alone, you will do nothing but cause problems in their marriage. Give her that gift—walk away for good.
“She’s gone, Gray; but Lynn’s right, you have to leave her alone.” Topher pointed over his shoulder at me before returning his attention to Gray. “And you better get right with this shit at work man, or you won’t have a job. You just pulled this goat rodeo in front of her husband—and—your boss.”
My breathing returned to normal seeing two of his close friends warning him to stay away from my wife, cautioning him about what was good for her, and it wasn’t him. I shook off the people still hovering around me in favor of going home. Just as I picked up my stuff, Topher sat down on the edge of the now empty desk to talk to his friend.
“I’m sorry, man. I know this shit hurts, but you made your choice and left her no options. She tried to wait for you. Stop torturing yourself and realize she’s not yours anymore.”
I pushed the bar on the door, and the latch sounded like gunfire it was so loud and unexpected. The wind rushed against me catching the heavy metal and swinging me into the parking lot as I hung onto the edge to keep the door from crashing against the opposite wall. I closed it behind me and didn’t hear another word.
Freed (Bound Duet Book 2) Page 37
