“Did my brother tell you?” he whispered after a moment.
“Was I the thing he…borrowed, Matt?” her voice breaking.
He glanced around as if there were a place he could escape her confused and hurting eyes. He swallowed, then returned her glare. “You answer my question first.”
“No. Clyde did,” she stated immediately.
“When?”
“It’s my turn,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Why was he here?” Matt shouted, his anger strong enough to overpower hers.
“You told me he was a friend, he stopped by and I let him in,” she argued defensively.
Matt ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, then placed them on his hips and took a breath, an effort to control himself around her. Something he’d been struggling with a lot lately.
“When did he stop by?” he demanded, glaring at the floor.
“While you were out, but what does it matter? You’re still not answering my question.” She took a step toward him.
He looked at her. His expression hard. “I wouldn’t put it that way. But yes…you were.”
She fell back into the sofa behind her. “And you just found out?” she whispered.
The knot tightening in his stomach, he nodded, “Two days before your accident.”
She held her hand to her chest. “Did I tell you?” a doubt in her voice.
He looked away. “No. You didn’t.”
Liz’s eyes wandered for a long moment. Matt could practically see the thoughts running through her head. She stood, deeper anger shaking through her and she held her hands up, “Why did you bring me here?”
“What?”
“Why am I here? she demanded. “You walked out on me, didn’t you? That’s what it was. That’s what I felt, wasn’t it? Back at your parent’s house.”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he swallowed some words that wouldn’t help and held his gaze at the coffee table between them.
“Why did you bring me here?” she yelled, gesturing at the apartment.
“Because you needed me,” he answered truthfully.
Her eyebrows shot up. “You felt sorry for me?”
“No, you’re still my wife.”
“You made me believe that you loved me, that we have something so amazing, why?” she cried.
Matt’s temper was quickly being tested. “Because we did have something amazing.”
“So, what happened? Tell me everything, I need to know.”
“I’ll tell you everything youneedto know,” he insisted.
“That’s not exactly what I asked,” her voice warry.
This wasn’t going to be easy. “It’s what you’re going to get,” he snapped. Lying to her was no longer an option. And he was surprised to find himself relieved. He couldn’t bear to do any more of it.
