I clench my fists by my side and step directly behind her. “Having a nice lunch?”

Aubrey’s gaze leaves Brady’s face as she whips her head in my direction. Her eyes widen, and she knows she’s been caught.

***

The look in Zach’s eyes scares the shit out of me. It’s wild and unpredictable. A snarl pulls across his lips as he glares at my hand on the table. Instantly, things click.

I immediately shake my head. “No, no, no. It’s not what you think.”

His eyes cut to me. “You mean you weren’t holding your fucking ex’s hand in the middle of some goddamn fucking fancy restaurant.”

The curse words spewing from Zach’s lips cause an old lady at the table beside ours to gasp and grab her chest, while a mother with her small son on the other side covers the kid’s ears. A couple of the wait staff stop mid-stride and stare in our direction.

This is about to escalate really fast. When Zach’s pissed his emotions completely take over, and he goes into a physical rage. The broken furniture in my apartment can attest to that.

I stand and face my man. “Let’s talk outside.”

He folds his arms over his chest. “You don’t want to bring your new boyfriend with you?”

I narrow my eyes. “He’s not my fucking boyfriend.”

Zach glares back at me and flexes his jaw. “Could’ve fooled me.”

My nostrils flare as I suck in a deep breath. “Outside. We need to talk.” I turn to Brady, who is still seated in his chair looking like a frightened squirrel. “Thank you for lunch and the advice on suing Center Stage, Brady. I would like to go ahead and start that process.”

Without saying another word I storm out through the restaurant. Tension rolls down my back as I feel the heat of the judgmental stares burning into my back until I make it out the front door. The rental car is sitting out front, the motor still running. Gabe’s face twists the moment he sees me. So that’s how Zach knew how to find me. I always knew he was a jealous man, but I never thought in a million years he wouldn’t trust me for even an hour and a half. I can’t believe he’s making such a big fucking deal about this. Brady was only showing me a little support as I poured my heart out to him, explaining that both of my parents hate my boyfriend and believe he’s no good for me.

I yank open the door and slide into the back seat, still fuming that Zach felt the need to act like a dick and embarrass me like that.

“What’s up, sis? You look pissed,” Gabe says turning around in his seat. “You okay?”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t get what his problem is. He stormed in there like a lunatic, and practically announced to the entire restaurant that I’m cheating on him with Brady. I don’t know where the hell he gets off.”

It feels good to vent to my brother. I need a neutral party in the situation.

Gabe’s face pulls into a lopsided frown. “The guy’s having a pretty hard time. His—”

Before Gabe is able to finish his sentence, Zach swings open the driver’s door and flops into the car. Daggers shoot from my eyes into the back of Zach’s head as he pulls onto the street and heads north to my parents’ place.

The entire ride is silent and I don’t like it. I want to scream and cuss at Zach for the way he just treated me back there, but having Gabe in the car with us stops me. I don’t need to drag my brother into the middle of my fights.

Over and over in my head I play out the scene of how our fight is going to go down. The moment he opens his mouth to yell at me for something I didn’t even do, I’m going off on his ass. He isn’t going to treat me like that.

We pull into my parents’ driveway and Gabe immediately gets out of the car and heads into the house. I stay in the back, ready for him to start—hopefully with an apology.

Zach sighs and rubs his hand over his face. “Get out.”

I flinch. “What did you just say to me?”

He turns to face me with hard eyes. “I said…GET. OUT.”

A gasp leaves my mouth and my bottom lip trembles. “Zach…”

He closes his eyes. “Aubrey, get the fuck out. I’m done with you. It was a mistake to think a relationship with you could ever work.”

A sob escapes me. “How can you say that to me?”

His eyes meet mine. “Because you’re just like the rest of the sluts I’ve ever been with. Always looking to trade up when you can.”

“It’s not what you think, please.” I hear the desperate plea in my own voice as I beg him to not do this. “Please don’t ruin us.”

“Do not make me physically throw you out of this car. I don’t want you.” I search his face for a sign, for anything to tell me this isn’t really him talking, but there’s nothing. The stone cold look in his eyes makes him appear dead inside.

I swallow hard as I open the door. My eyes automatically go to the ground when I step out and shut it behind me. I can’t believe this—over, just like that. He didn’t even care what I had to say. It was like he was a man possessed.

The tires on the Fusion squeal when they make contact with the asphalt and he drives out of my life. My entire body shakes and my knees buckle, causing me to fall into a puddle on the driveway.

Tears fall without warning as all the built-up emotion bursts out of me. My chest squeezes and I gasp for breathe. I can’t breathe. I’m suffocating. I gasp for air but no relief comes. I’m dying, I know it.