Page 102 of The Taste of Deceit

“She screamed at me.”

Another sob tears through her.

“She told me I chose this over her.”

She laughs once, but there’s nothing funny in it.

“And maybe I fucking did.”

“Sarah—“

“No!”

She shakes her head hard.

“You put me in an impossible position.”

Every word comes out louder than the last.

“You made me choose between the man I love and the person who’s been my best friend for years.”

I grip the steering wheel until my hands ache.

“You asked me to carry something that was never mine to carry.”

Her breathing turns ragged.

“And now she’s gone.”

The words barely make it out.

“My best friend is gone.”

I have no defense. Because she’s right.

I pull through the gates of the villa, but neither of us says another word. I bring the car to a stop in the garage, but I leave the engine running for a second, staring through the windshield, hoping she’ll say something. Anything.

She doesn’t. She reaches for the door handle.

“Sarah.”

Her hand stops, but she doesn’t look at me.

“I am sorry.”

She lets out a shaky breath.

“I know you are.”

It’s the first time she’s sounded calm since we left the estate, and somehow that hurts worse than her yelling.

“But being sorry doesn’t change what happened.”

She opens the door and steps out without another word. I watch her hurry toward the door, wiping at her face before she reaches it. She disappears inside without looking back.

I don’t move.

My hands stay wrapped around the steering wheel long after she’s gone, because I know the woman who walked into Mikey’s house an hour ago isn’t the same one who just walked into ours.