Crap.Did she just utter those wordsout loud?What the hell was Ryker talking about?She confessed herlove to him when she turned twenty-one, but he turned her down.
“I’m on my way.Pack your things.I’ll bethere in an hour.”
“Wait, I haven’t even told you everythingand you’re already bossing me around?”she demanded.
In truth, relief filled her entire system.She was sick of working overtime at the accounting firm, only forRodney to flush all their savings down the toilet in a week ortwo.
It didn’t help that she lost her job at thefirm to a fresh, leggy Ivy-league brunette the boss seemedinterested in.No surprise there.After she told Rodney about thenews, he’d come home late every night, drunker than usual andsmelling of another woman’s perfume.Sky was sick of it all—thiscity, this apartment, her career going nowhere, and Rodney.
“Then talk to me.”
In the background, she heard the slam of adoor and the ping of the elevator.Ryker was serious, she realized,about picking her up.She hesitated.
“I want you to know I tried.I built my ownlife here, but I made mistakes,” she explained.“Rodney was nice,you know?No other man but you has ever shown interest in me.”
She swore Ryker literally growled at herlike some kind of animal.
“What did the prick do?”
She rubbed at her wrist.“I—I’m just tiredof him, of everything.I’ll tell you the rest when you arrive.”
“Then I’ll see you soon.”Ryker ended thecall, and she stared at her phone for a couple of moments.
Why had she waited until night time to callhim?She rubbed her sweaty palms against her jeans.Ever since sherealized she had feelings for Ryker, she sometimes got nervousaround him, even now.
Strange how it felt like a huge weight hadbeen lifted off her chest.Sky exited the bathroom and began topack.She pulled out the dusty old duffel bag from the closet, thesame one she’d used when she moved out of Ryker’s apartment.
That felt like ages ago.Ryker had saved herwhen she was eighteen, and she’d lived with him until she turnedtwenty-one, until she finished her accounting degree.This year,she turned twenty-three, and by now, she thought she’d have gottenover him when it was the exact opposite.
While stuck at her desk at her oldworkplace, Sky did her spreadsheets methodically, but her mindalways wandered.Sky had spent hours making lists in her head ofwhat she’d take with her with she left this city.It didn’t takelong for her to finish.
She checked the wall clock in the livingroom.Ryker would be here soon, but maybe she could take a showerfirst.She headed to the bathroom, stripped out of her clothes andentered the shower.She shut her eyes, enjoying the sensation ofwater on her skin.
Before she’d leave, she’d give the landlordher keys.Rodney, well.Screw him.Half the time, he keptthreatening to break their relationship off, and he didn’t seem tolisten to her when she told him this morning they were done.
She finished up, dressed in a comfy pair ofjeans and her favorite shirt, then heard the door slam fromoutside.She froze.That could only be one person.She touched thebruises on her arms.She’d never been a doormat, and yet she letthis toxic relationship go on for so long.
Relationship.Right.Rodneypractically mooched off her, constantly telling her he needed tofocus on his music, but in all the time they’d been together, she’dnever seen him perform on stage.She took deep breaths andstraightened her shoulders.
Sky could do this.She’d be civil, althoughit was tempting to give that asshole a piece of her mind.Sheexited the bathroom only to see Rodney swaying on his feet in theliving room.Nearing him, the overwhelming yet familiar smell ofalcohol made her grimace
Rodney seemed to be squinting at her duffelbag on the floor next to the couch.Then he turned to her, eyesnarrowed.“What the fuck is this?”
Chapter Two
Sky crossed her arms.“I’m leaving.I’llgive the landlord my notice before I go.”
“You’re going, tonight?Where?”he askedwith a sneer.“Back to whatever shithole you came from?What aboutme?”
She blew out a breath and silently countedto ten in her head.Of course.Rodney always thought about himselffirst.
“I lost my job three days ago, Rod.I can’tafford this apartment anymore.It’s paid for until the end of theend of the month.”
She was already being too generous.Healways bragged about his friends who’d made big it in the musicindustry.He could stay with them.Wait.Why should shecare?
Sky always had that problem.She cared toomuch, about what people thought, about pleasing everyone.Even atwork, she worked doubly hard compared to everyone else just toprove she could be on par with colleagues who graduated from betteruniversities.
Despite all that, when she overheard one ofthe women in the break room complaining about her salary, sherealized her own salary was merely half of what the others weregetting.Why bother working so hard, when her efforts would neverbe rewarded?In a way, getting fired might be the best thing thatever happened to her.
