Page 27 of The Banned Books Club
She must not have kept the dread completely out of her voice. But it wouldn’t be a chore if she had any desire for him, any love left.Hewas the one who’d destroyed those things, and now he heldheraccountable for it. “I didn’t say it was a chore.”
“You don’t act very excited.”
“I—You caught me at a bad time.” It was an excuse. But she’d found he usually believed what he wanted to believe—otherwise he’d know how much she hated him—so she wasn’t too worried that he’d challenge her statement.
He dropped his hands. “Jesus. Being with you is about as exciting as watching paint dry.” He opened the fridge and helped himself to another beer. “Are all wives this bad? Because if they are, it’s not hard to understand why men cheat.”
“Areyoucheating?” The words came out before she could stop them. An affair could prove helpful, grant her more understanding from his parents and hers—or just ease the guilt she felt for being unable to fix her life in any other way. Cece was contacting him, after all...
His eyebrows snapped together. “Are you accusing me?”
He acted outraged, but for a split second she thought she spotted a flicker of guilt in his eyes. Therewassomething going on between him and his ex-girlfriend; she’d bet her life on it.
Margot drew a deep, steadying breath. “Just asking,” she said and met his gaze without flinching for the first time in ages.
He popped the top off his beer. “You see why I don’t like you hanging out with your troublemaker sister?”
He hadn’t answered her question. He was deflecting it instead.“Hanging out with her?”she echoed. “Today was the first time I’ve been able to spend any time with Gia in months. And it was only breakfast! You can’t blame anything on her.”
“Just seeing her makes you different, changes you for the worse,” he insisted.
“Because I’m bolder? More willing to stand up for myself?”
He looked startled. “What do you mean ‘stand up for yourself’? I’m not doing anything to you.”
“You don’t think so?”
“No,” he said with a scowl. “It’syou, not me.”
She pressed a hand to her chest. “What haveIdone?”
“I told you, you’re acting like your bitch of a sister, and you seem proud of it.”
“I am, actually.” She knew she was being reckless. She was drunk on the small amount of power she seemed to possess in this moment. But she knew how quickly that would change, that he’d get back on top somehow. He always did.
His eyes narrowed. “Be careful, or you’re really going to piss me off.”
Her heart felt like it was trying to claw its way out of her chest, but there was another force inside her, stronger than the fear, that was urging her on. She’d been dying to tell himexactlywhat she thought of him for so long... “What if I don’t care?”
His jaw dropped. “What the hell, Margot? You see what Gia does? Maybe it’s a mistake to go hunting while she’s here. If I let her have that kind of influence, there’s no telling what I might come home to.”
Margot had expected him to get mad and start a blistering argument. She was suddenly spoiling for a fight—if only to avoid having sex with him tonight. But this... No, he had to go to Utah. Everything she’d planned depended on having that time before he learned what was happening.
Praying that the panic she felt at his last words hadn’t already revealed itself on her face, she shrugged and turn back to the dishes. “That’d be nice, actually. I could use your help with the boys while I deal with my mother.”
“What do you mean...deal with your mother? There’s nothing more you can do for her,” he said as if she shouldn’t still be whining about it.
“Losing your mother is...is heartbreaking and...and traumatic, especially in this way!” she said through gritted teeth.
“I have no doubt that’s true, but...let’s be real,” he said. “Everyone’s going to lose their mother at some point. That’s life.”
Shocked that he could be so callous, she turned to face him again. “Are you serious right now? What if it wasyourmother?” She almost said “sainted” mother, because he was such a mama’s boy, but she’d already caused enough trouble for herself for one night.
He studied her for several seconds. “Forget it,” he snapped and walked out.
“So you’re staying? You’re not going hunting?” she called out as he disappeared into the other room. The only way to convince him to go was to make him think she preferred that he stay. Reverse psychology worked on him better than most people. But there was always the chance he’d surprise her, especially if he was growing suspicious.
“I’m thinking about it,” he yelled back, and Margot dropped her head in her hands. What on earth had she done?
