Chapter 58

I smiled and stroked the envelope—delaying the gratification—pressed it to my lips, then slid my thumbnail under the flap to unseal it, and took out the card.

Once, twice, three times I read the words, growing colder and more numb each time.

The other shoe had just dropped with a vengeance. He’d cheated on me.

I’m sorry. Forgive me. I was a fool.

No, Matheson, I was the fool, a blind fool.

Pain tore through me, worse than anything I’d felt in my life—worse than when Poppa threw me out, worse than when I realized Franky didn’t care for me, only wanted me to trick for him. It ripped me apart, drove me doubled over to my knees. I covered my face with my hands as scalding tears poured down my cheeks.

He’d told me and told me he loved me, that he didn’t want anyone else, until I’d finally come to believe him. How could the son of a bitch lie to me like that? He was probably laughing himself silly at my stupidity—I’d wanted to be loved by him so badly.