Free Hero - The Ambush: Special Forces Romance by M. S. Parker

shuddered.
    Then it was over and I knew I should go. I didn't want to be here for the aftermath, didn't want to talk to either of them...
    “Shit, Ricky! It's Leighton!” Paris's shrill voice cut through the air.
    I closed my eyes for a brief second before opening them again. There was no point in avoiding it anymore.
    “Leighton?” Ricky blinked, his eyes still slightly glazed.
    “Leighton, what are you doing here?” Paris asked. She didn't even bother to try to hide her nakedness as she came toward me. “This was just a mistake. You weren't supposed to find out.”
    “So that would make it okay?” I asked, keeping my voice low and in control. “Keeping it from me? Him, I get. He's a cheating ass and I was an idiot to think that an open relationship meant he'd be more honest with me. But you? You're supposed to be my friend.”
    Ricky turned now and I could see the panic in his light blue eyes as he finally registered my presence. “This was nothing, babe. We agreed it was okay, remember?”
    “No, Ricky,” I snapped. “We agreed that we'd be honest with each other about what we were doing and with who. You came home and went straight to her. You don't care about me. You just care about your dick.”
    “Come on, babe,” he pleaded with me. “You know I love you. She's just something to do.”
    “'Just something to do'?” Paris asked, her pretty face twisting into a scowl. “You were right, Leighton. He's an ass. He can show himself out.”
    I recoiled as Paris tried to reach for me. I shook my head. “A mistake is a one-time thing, understandable even. Fucking for an entire day is deliberate.” I looked from her to him and back again. “You know what, you want each other so bad? Go right ahead, I don't need either of you.”
    “I don't want her, Leighton. I love you!” Ricky scrambled to grab a rumpled shirt off the back of the couch as I stalked towards the door, determined not to run. “You're the only woman I've ever loved. You have to believe me.”
    “I don't have to do anything.” I didn't even look at him as I opened the door. “And I sure as hell don't have to listen to you anymore.”
    I slammed the door behind me and walked toward the elevator, ignoring the pleas coming from behind me. I was through listening to anyone, through doing anything except what I wanted to do. If no one cared about me, then I wasn't going to give a shit about anyone.
    To hell with them all.
     

Chapter 9
    Leighton
    I made it to my car, for once glad when I got stuck in traffic a few minutes later. I had no idea where to go or what to do. Grandfather's house only reminded me that Ian was leaving. The beach always soothed me, but I couldn't go back to Ricky's beach house.
    For the first time in my adult life, it hit me that I didn't have a place I truly considered to be home.
    Somewhere inside the screaming mess of my thoughts there came a quiet, devious voice telling me this was all for the best. It whispered at me to smash everything, ruin it all. I thought about rock bottom, and how once I got there, I'd never have to be afraid of sinking lower. Everyone always said the best thing about hitting rock bottom was, after that, there was nowhere to go but up.
    I didn't want to go up though. I just didn't want to sink any lower. Maybe if I finally hit bottom, everyone would just leave me alone.
    I needed a drink. Or three.
    The long, tangled line of cars finally started to move, and I felt better now that I had a direction to go. Straight down. The only thing I needed now was to find a place where no one would think to look for me while I made my descent.
    It was early, the time of day my group of friends usually had late lunches on sunny patios...if they weren't still nursing their hangovers. If Ricky and Paris bothered to look for me at all, it'd be at one of our rooftop or ocean view restaurants. All I had to do to avoid them was think of the darkest, seediest bar I knew.
    I also had to ditch my car. If Haze was