Page 57 of Falling for the Enemy

Her stare dashed to the floor. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“Well, I have shit to say to you and, for once, you’re going to listen.”

She scoffed, pinning him with a narrow stare. “Your sense of entitlement is stunning.”

“I have shit to say.”

“Does it ever occur to you that your feelings aren’t the only ones that matter? I have a life. I have a job and obligations. My world is not made up of waiting through your absences so I can make myself available whenever you need a stress outlet to fuck. If you have something to say, tell a therapist.”

He laughed, the sound cold and mocking. “You think I come here to relieve stress? That’s fucking rich, Joce. You’re the most stressful woman I’ve ever met in my life.”

She swallowed, not bothering to deny the truth. She knew what a handful she could be. There was no point in denying it. “No one makes you come here, Soren. It’s a choice. And it’s yours—every time.”

He massaged the bridge of his nose and muttered a curse under his breath. “I fucking know it’s my choice. I’m aware of my culpability in…” He waved his hand between them in a frustrated motion. “…this. Us. But I didn’t get here on my own. That first night, that was you, Joce. I tried to do the right thing. I tried to be a gentleman.”

“Well, pardon me if I don’t remember. I was drunk and you fucked me anyway.”

He looked at her as if she’d slapped him.

It was a low blow, and she wanted to take it back, but everything was getting too real, and she just wanted him to leave.

“How could you say that like I…” There was real pain in his voice, and she hated herself for putting it there. “I was good to you that night. You might not remember, but I do. It wasn’t… I never would… For as much as we may argue, I’d never take advantage of you. You were the one who…” He looked away. “Fuck it. I don’t know why I bother.”

Her chest tightened another degree. He wasn’t the first to imply she wasn’t worth the effort. But she couldn’t bear him thinking she held that night against him or that he might have crossed a line. “It doesn’t matter. I’m over it.”

“It does matter. I need you to believe that I didn’t force you to do anything that night, Jocelyn. I really tried to…” He breathed out another swear. “You’re just so damn pretty—and I know that’s not an excuse⁠—”

“Soren, stop.” The lump in her throat swelled as the tightness in her chest seemed to charge a toll for every word that tried to pass. “I know you only did⁠—”

“You don’t know. How could you? You were wasted, and I should’ve stopped you. I should have⁠—”

“I have it on video,” she blurted. “I saw the whole thing. I know I started it.”

The room stilled, and for a moment, even the wind outside seemed to stop. Her old house, which was always groaning and settling, forgot how to breathe.

“You what?”

Her lips pressed tight. He deserved to know the truth. “I have surveillance all over the house.”

“You have it on video?”

“Yes.”

“And you watched it?”

“Yes.”

His eyes moved as he processed what this meant. “And the other times⁠—”

“Those, too. But I don’t watch all of them. The files automatically delete after six months unless I manually save them.”

He stepped back, falling into the chair in the corner. She couldn’t tell if he was angry or relieved.

“I know you didn’t take advantage of me that night. I’m the one who instigated it.”

Elbows braced on his knees, he folded his hands against his mouth and blew out a breath. “You still have it on video? The whole thing?”

“Well, the cameras aren’t in the bathrooms or the bedrooms.”