OBSESSED

51

JARROD

Now she was gone. I would have preferred her to kick me out than to just leave. This felt so final.

It couldn't be, though. Leah was mine. I couldn't just lose someone so important to me so quickly.

Yes, you can.

My memory drew forth images of Tiffany, good and bad. I'd loved her harder and lost her more violently, but losing Leah was different. Loving her was different. She was wholesome in every way that Tiffany had been treacherous. Deep down, I knew she would never betray me. Leah was good, through and through.

I paced around the condo while I tried to work out the facts from my feelings. Even though I'd told Leah the truth, she didn't believe me. She looked so upset when she left. So why did she? I had been honest. I would've told her about the photos sooner if I knew it was going to be a problem. Why couldn't we just be civil and discuss this like adults? Why did she have to run away?

Reminiscing about how incredible our sex had been, I couldn't believe that today had turned out this way. I wished she would just trust me. Yes, the blood was suspicious. Yes, I hadn't told her about Tiffany. People were allowed to have secrets, even with people they cared deeply about. People they loved.

"Fuck!" I hissed, kicking the couch.

With my heart in shambles, I collapsed onto the sofa and yelled into a pillow. It smelled like sex. Our sex.

I stood up and flung the little black cushion across the room, where it hit the wall and rolled to the floor. I was half mad enough to leave now and go after her. What could I do to convince her that I was good for her? That I would never hurt or leave her? She would never find someone as loyal or protective as me.

Before I did anything rash, I decided to call my brother. James also had something wise to say. Besides, his fucking pictures were the reason I was in this position to begin with.

"You really have the worst timing," was his sour greeting.

"I hope I'm not interfering with anything too important."

"I have a conference call in fifteen minutes."

"It's eight o'clock on a Saturday night. Why the hell do you have a meeting so late?"

"Because it's Friday afternoon for some of our international clients," he deadpanned. "What do you need, Jarrod?"

Clearing my throat, I walked into my bedroom and picked photo album off the floor. I wanted to hurl it out the window.

"Leah found your pictures," I said.

"What pictures? And who the fuck is Leah? Oh. She's that patient you've been fucking."

I hated how he could state that so resolutely. Bastard.

"Your fucking sex dungeon pictures. She found them in that photo album. I told her they weren't mine but she wouldn't listen."

"Well who could blame her? She's probably already figured out what a shady bitch you are."

I rolled my eyes, though he couldn't see me. "You are the mysterious one, brother. I'm just the miserable divorcee."