TORMENTED_ Jani Kay - Jani Kay Page 0,41
boxes, waiting to be moved to my new home.
I checked my phone every few minutes, and even called one of my girlfriends I hadn’t spoken to in a while just to make sure the damn thing was still working and that there wasn’t a network problem. I hated feeling this damn vulnerable when a man didn’t call back, and hated that I had to make up stories in my head, looking for excuses for him.
My back hurt from shifting boxes all the way to the front hallway, so I finally decided to get an early night. I hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep since Dad had cancelled dinner, when Harrison hadn’t called me back after I’d left a message about meeting him in the city for dinner instead.
Fool.
Damn.
There I was thinking he’d be relieved not to meet my dad and spend the night with me instead. I’d even cut short my drinks with Emma and worn sexy underwear.
Brushing the hair back off my forehead, I wiped the sweat from my brow and ran a shower. I was damn exhausted, and suddenly my bed seemed like the only place on earth I wanted to be. Slipping out of my yoga pants and top, I stepped under the showerhead, welcoming the stream of pulsating water as it pummeled the surface of my skin.
While I was still busy soaping up my body, my phone rang on the counter. Yeah, I knew steam was bad for electronic devices, but I didn’t want to miss the call when Harrison finally got back to me.
I quickly dried one hand on a towel and grabbed the phone. The man was going to pay for putting me through all this anxiety.
“Hello, Mister,” I said in a low voice, trying to sound sexy yet serious.
A pause.
“Hey, sexy. God, I missed that voice. Did I ever tell you how much it turns me on?”
I held the phone a few feet from my face and through narrowed eyes I read the name on the screen. Yep. Nolan.
“How did you get my new number, Nolan?” I barked, my voice going to shrill and freaked out in seconds.
“You underestimate me, darling. You forget who I am.”
Pompous ass.
“That’s impossible. You keep reminding me, Senator. And no, I don’t want to donate to your campaign, or whatever else you are calling about, so leave me the fuck alone.”
“Eva, that’s not the way to talk to me.”
“Listen, I’m tired and I have a headache. I’m not in the mood for bullshit.” I turned the tap off with one hand and stepped out of the shower.
A low chuckle followed. “Still my fiery girl. God, I miss you. I’m sorry I fucked up. Really, I am. Let’s put it down to temporary insanity—”
“Or you thinking with your small brain instead of your big brain,” I interjected. I pinched the phone between my ear and shoulder while I dried the rest of my body, rubbing vigorously the more frustrated I became.
“See, that’s what I love about you. Always something smart to say.”
Suppressing the urge to roll my eyes, I put on my most sarcastic tone. “It wasn’t meant to be funny, Nolan.”
“I know.” He sounded dejected, and I actually nearly felt sorry for him. “I deserve that you’re punishing me . . . I even get why. But you’ve got to believe me when I tell you that shit is never going to happen again. I realize what a fool I’ve been, and I want you back. I’m prepared to take the punishment you’re dishing out—even watching you let another man fuck you, as hard as that was. But don’t you think that’s enough? Don’t you think it’s time we kiss and make up and fix this whole mess?”
“Exactly what part of it is over don’t you understand?”
A long, drawn-out silence followed. Maybe there is something wrong with my phone.
I was just about to put the cell down when Nolan spoke again. His voice was decisive and cold, yet devoid of emotion.
“It’s not over, Eva. Not until I say it is.”
A chill ran up my spine. This was the side of Senator Parker that frightened me. How could I ever have thought I was in love with this man?
“You only want me back because you think you’re missing out on something. But you’re not. We would never have made it as a couple. I didn’t see it at the time, but it’s glaringly obvious to me now.” I moved from the bathroom to the bedroom and opened a drawer