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She got up,without care and then glanced down in disgust at the foro," she said

"Chess, are you sure I don’t need to take you to the hospital?" Tate asked uneasily "How badly did he hurt you?"

Her gaze found his and she stared unflinchingly at him "Not nearly as much as you have"

EIGHTEEN

THE ride hoer door, her forehead pressed to the glass as she stared sightlessly at the passing streetlights She was strangely numb She felt eer, no sorrow Just … nothing

Her e was over As far as she was concerned, Tate had crossed a line he could never erase While such knowledge would have devastated her twenty-four hours ago, right now she couldn’t bring herself to feel anything but resignation

She could feel hie hi plans for a future that didn’t include him

When they finally pulled into their drive, she opened her door before the car ca her stockings at the feet She hadn’t brought her keys so she had to wait for Tate to unlock the front door, but as soon as he accomplished that, she pushed past him in a direct path to their bedroom

Wasting no tie suitcases, flinging it onto the bed to unzip it

"Chessy, what the hell are you doing?" Tate denored hiers, returning to due them in any way

His hand closed around her wrist and she froze when he proaze His features were gray, deep grooves lining his forehead Sorrow and regret swamped his eyes He looked tortured

Not her problerip and took a step back, her tone as frigid as an Artic wind

"Do not touch me"

He took an immediate step back and when she went to her dresser for underwear and bras he repeated his earlier question

"What the hell are you doing? Where do you think you’re going?"

She paused, her hands full of her intis Then she turned and stared hi," she said simply "I would think that much is obvious But if you needthe hell away fro pale "Chessy, please don’t go I know you’re angry God, you certainly have the right to be But please don’t leave when you’re so upset I’ll go This is your house I’ll get a hotel and come back tooing to talk out, Tate? The fact that you lied to ain you didn’t keep? Or maybe the fact that you took a phone call when your as helpless to defend herself against aevery step of the way Letyou have to say that I care to hear There’s no going back No forgetting what happened No way to undo what’s already been done You made your choice and it dae of the bed, his head bowed His hands shook visibly and his shoulders heaved as he struggled with his e into the suitcase, only wanting to get it done so she could get the hell out before she broke down and co from underneath the bathroom sink and quickly emptied the drawers of all her toiletries and then decided that whatever she didn’t get she’d return for at a later time Preferably when Tate wasn’t here His precious clients could keep hi around for every cru the toiletry bag by the bed, she closed her suitcase and zipped it up Tate hadn’tIt didn’t surprise her Their relationship was a study in her giving and hi to his wishes and control

That was all coht

"At least let ," Tate said in a low voice "I’ive ave hih You want tohypocrisy of that stateh "I deserve your anger I deserve whatever you dish out, but God, please, Chessy Stay so we can work it out Don’t leave I love you"

"I believe you love h and you don’t love me as much as I love you I suppose I would have settled for that once But not any longer I deserve better"

She yanked the suitcase off the bed and slung the toiletry bag over her shoulder before heading out of the bedrooo There was little point in trying to change her h to realize the futility of dissuading her when she was set on so