“Like I said, it’s none of your business, Ben. You lost the privilege of any information on my life a long time ago.”
He drove the blade home in my heart. “Do you really want to end up like your parents? Isn’t that why you dumped me?”
I ignored his question, blinking against the burning in my eyes. I refused to play his game. “It’s been four years, Ben. Move on with your life and leave me alone.” I didn’t miss this—him. I didn’t miss the way he always made me feel small, how he discounted my feelings. It only illuminated howdifferentJameson was, how muchbetter.
Ben dared a step closer, the rug squelching beneath his shoes as he ran his cold finger up my arm. “Come on, Elsie. We were always good together.”
I jerked away from his touch. “According to whom?”
The skin between his eyebrows creased, and his lips twisted into a snarl. “You belong with me, Elsie. Forget about that Beck guy.”
“Why, Ben? Give me one good reason.”
He sniffed and rubbed at his nose. “He’s irritating and his dog is a menace.”
For a moment, I stood in stunned silence before my voice returned. “That’s it? That’s the best excuse you could find for why I shouldn’t be spending time with Jameson? For why we should be together instead?” His answer told me all I needed to know—he didn’tactuallywant me. He simply didn’t like that someone else had me instead.
Ben shook his head, pointing a long, bony finger at me.“You belong withme.”
“No, Ben. The only person you belong with is yourself. Until you pull that stick out of your butt and realize that women are human beings, and are worth more than being yourarm candy, you will always be alone.”
Ben took a menacing step toward me, clenching his hands into fists. “If you stay with him, you’ll just end up in the same situation as your parents.” He gave me a villainous grin. “I know you don’t want that.”
Though Ben spoke my greatest fear, reinforcing those thoughts I had battled since first meeting Jameson, I refused to react to his words. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he got under my skin. “Get out, Ben. I want nothing to do with you, so leave me alone. We’re done and you need to get on with your life.”
I gave his shoulder a shove, nudging him toward the door.
“Elsie—”
“Get. Out.” Rain blew inside, but I ignored it, unwilling to back down until Ben was gone.
“You’re making a mistake.”
“Even if that were true, which it’s not, it’s my mistake to make.”
He opened his mouth to spew more poison, but I interrupted him.
“You have five seconds to leave or I’m calling the police.”
Ben’s eyes widened and he looked at me in disbelief. “You wouldn’t.”
“Do you really want to test that?”
He huffed out a breath as I pointed to the door. “Wow.”
“Have a good life, Ben,” I snapped, putting my foot against his backside and kicking him out of my house.
He turned around with a glare, giving me a once over, his lip curled in a sneer. “Good riddance.”
I gave a crude laugh. “Feeling is mutual, Ben. Buh-bye.”
Then I slammed the door in his shocked face and waited for his footsteps to fade off my porch, quickly drowned out by the pouring rain. A moment later his headlights flashed through the window before his car disappeared down the road.
I sank onto my couch, Rhys curling up next to me, as a strange feeling settled over me.
For the first time in four years, my lungs felt free, unrestricted, like I was finally able to breathe again. So, why did a part of me still feel so uneasy?
“Ben did what?” Maya shrieked into the phone.
