Free Then Came Alexandra (Southern Love #1) by E. L. Todd Page B

field that morning last week, her hair in a braid and a baseball cap shielding her face from the sun, he was immediately smitten. Her beauty was hard not to notice. Even though he and Danielle were over, had been over for months, he still felt guilty for feeling that way. Since she still lived with him, he felt like he was still in the relationship in a twisted way. And he felt even worse for Alexandra. How could he have these feelings for her when his ex-girlfriend was still around?
    The sound of the crickets took over his mind. He tried not to think about anything, clearing his mind of everything. When it became late, he knew he needed to head home. He had to wake up in just a few hours and repeat his day.
    After he drove home, he walked into the house. Danielle was standing in the parlor, looking pissed.
    “What?” he snapped.
    “Why are you home so late?”
    “None of your business.” He walked into the living room and turned on the TV, watching a game.
    “It is my business. You said you were training your new secretary. It’s past midnight.”
    “And that’s what I was doing.”
    “It shouldn’t take five hours.”
    “Well, I went somewhere else afterward.” He didn’t look at her, trying to concentrate on the screen.
    “Are you fucking this girl?”
    He took a deep breath then turned off the TV. “Let’s get this straight. Who I fuck is none of your business. We’re done. I mean it.”
    She glared at him. “No, we aren’t. You aren’t talking to that whore anymore. I mean it.”
    “She isn’t a whore! Nothing is going on, but it doesn’t matter if it is. I want you out, Danielle. Now.”
    “I’m not going anywhere.”
    “I’ll call the cops if I have to. Your deadline is coming up. You haven’t packed a single thing.”
    “That’s because I’m not leaving.”
    He kicked the table over. “You’re only with me for my money. Now get out!”
    “That isn’t true. I love you!”
    Blaise marched to the bedroom they used to share and took everything out of her drawers, tossing it on the floor. “Get out, Danielle.”
    “Stop it! I’m sorry, okay? This has been hard on me. I need you, Blaise.”
    He kept going.
    Danielle hit him in the back of the head, making him buckle under the unexpected blow. He turned to her, his eyes burning with raging fire.
    “Don’t fucking touch me.”
    She stepped back.
    He pushed her against the wall, pinning her with his body “I don’t love you. Why don’t you understand that?” She shook as he stared her down. “You need to leave. I’m ready to move on with my life. I can’t do that when you’re still here. You’re like a leech that latches onto me, draining the life directly out of my skin.” He slammed his fist against the wall. “If you aren’t out by morning, I’ll call the cops and embarrass you in front of the whole town.”
    Tears fell down her face. She wiped them away and averted her gaze.
    It wasn’t in his nature to be so angry and so cold, but his boiling point had been reached. She’d been ruining his life for the past year. It had gone on long enough.
    “Blaise—”
    “Shut the hell up.”
    She sniffed. “What will I do?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Please…I have nowhere to go. If I leave tomorrow, Evan will find me. Word will spread in the town. It won’t take Evan long to find me.”
    “Go back to your mother’s house. Your dad will look after you.”
    “I can’t.” She continued to sob. “I can’t go back there.”
    “That isn’t my problem.”
    “Tell me what I can do…”
    “Get out of my life,” Blaise said firmly. “If you really love me, which I know you don’t, you’ll let me go.”
    She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the ground. “Is there someone else?”
    “We haven’t been together in months. By definition, there can’t be someone ‘else’.”
    “Blaise?”
    “I’m not having this conversation with you.”
    “Who is it? Why are you trying to get rid of me? You told me