My Saving Grace: Vested Interest - ABC Corp (Vested Interest: ABC Corp Book 1) by Melanie Moreland

Author:Melanie Moreland [Moreland, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Moreland Books Inc
Published: 2021-02-24T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Grace

Anger kept my shoulders back and my head high as I hurried from the courthouse. I ignored the cabs lined up outside and headed to the bus stop, refusing to give in to the emotions bearing down on me. I kept my mind blank as I stood, staring out the window as the bus slowly made its way to my stop. I clambered down the stairs at the corner and walked toward my apartment block, my legs beginning to shake as the adrenaline rush faded.

My hands trembled as I tried to get the key in the lock, finally using both hands to accomplish the simple task. Inside, I dropped my coat and kicked off my boots. I looked closely at the key holder, seeing for the first time that Jaxson’s key was hanging on the end. In plain sight, yet I hadn’t seen it.

I hadn’t seen so many things.

I stumbled to the sofa, grabbing the blanket from the arm and wrapping it around my body. I felt ice-cold and out of control, my limbs shaking, my teeth chattering. I knew I was in shock. Filled with disbelief over what had just occurred.

Then anger took over. But it wasn’t directed at him. It was toward myself.

I had fallen for the oldest trick in the book. The boss and his assistant. A tawdry affair. His sweet words and kind gestures had all been part of an act. One I had fallen for. I had allowed him into my life, pushed aside the quiet doubts and thoughts that plagued me. Neglected family and friends for him. Let him lead me blindly. I was furious. I knew better. I was smarter than that. My parents hadn’t raised an idiot, yet I had acted that way over Jaxson. Given him the power to hurt me. As soon as I told him how I was feeling, he was done. I thought of his hurtful words. He knew me well enough to use the ones that would wound the deepest.

I burrowed farther under the blanket. I thought of his mood swings. The aloof face he presented to the world that I thought was the false one, when really, the one he had shown me in private had been the lie. He didn’t care. I had been fun—until I was too much effort to bother with any longer.

I curled up into the corner of the sofa, his words echoing in my head.

Too much work.

Distraction.

Explored as much as I want.

Lasted longer than most.

Hero-worship. Like your father.

I did hero-worship my father. I adored him. But I had never thought about Jaxson as someone to save me. I didn’t need saving. I didn’t need a hero. I needed him—as a lover, a friend, and a partner.

I had been so blind.

Pain and rejection hit me all at once. I had allowed Jaxson’s lies to lull me into a false sense of security. I had actually believed that we had a future.

The truth was we never did. He never planned it. In my naïveté, I had thought what we shared was special.

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