Chapter 71

GRACIE

"What about the dead cop? Do you have the information I wanted about him? "

His words sent my heart hammering hard in a wave of shock, I didn't realize when I took a shaky step backward, by doing so my back crashed against the door.

He turned around swiftly, I was met with his icy cold expression which vanished as soon as he saw me.

He approached me slowly, his shackling me to my spot.

"What are you doing here? " he spoke quietly. Was that anxiety I heard in his voice?

I tried to but was unable to control the wave of doubt and fear pulsating through me.

The room felt so suffocating, I couldn't breathe.

Oh god. Let me be wrong, it couldn't have been...

Had he been present when Shawn died?

How could it be that much of a coincidence that he died on the same day, right after he had met me?

Also my cellphone...

"You knew I met him" I stated a matter of factly, unable to tear my gaze away from his.

His jaw ticked once. then twice.

"What the hell are you thinking? Whatever it is, you're wrong " he spoke in a sort of calm tone, but it didn't serve to quench the fires of suspicion and fear that was brewing inside of me.

I couldn't distinguish what was wrong or right anymore. I still remember vividly the bloodstains on his clothes the last night, had it been Shawn's?

Oh god.

He appeared to notice where my thought had drifted to as he tried to reach out to me.

I found myself taking a step back.

His gaze went dark, reflecting so many emotions, I could only recognize a few

hurt and...

I snapped out of it, now wasn't the time to care.

I have to find out and hear it directly from his mouth.

"Did you go after him?" My voice trembled but I continued.

"I'm asking if you met him...the blood last night was it..... his? " The last part came out as a choked sound.

I wanted to hear him tell me no, that I was mistaken about the whole thing, but I couldn't deny the harsh reality of what might be the outcome of this whole thing.

"Yes I did meet him and the blood had been him! " he whispered roughly seeming frustrated.

Hearing the words from his mouth made me feel like a bucket of ice had been dumped on me, chilling me completely to my bones.

He approached me tilting my face to meet his.

"let go of me! " I screamed.

He didn't.

If anything his grip got even more firm.

"But I didn't kill him! someone else did it! " he growled in my face.

I stared into his gaze with my blurry ones as I sought to break free from his hold.

Hearing it from an outsider the harsh truth kicked in.

Shawn was dead.

He was gone from this world.

A sob broke out of my mouth as I shoved hard against his chest, he tried to hold me but I wouldn't let him.

"I don't believe you, You just killed him! Why? I can't do this Hayden, I can't do this!" I screamed.

I was beyond reasoning, everything was happening so quickly, Shawn was dead, he was a good person who had no enemies.

It had to be him!

My body shook with waves of bitter tears, was his death because of me?

HAYDEN

I stared at her trembling form, her gaze filled with hurt, pain, and... I refuse to allow myself to interpret the rest of the emotions I saw there.

She was hurt.

It was understandable since she just lost someone she considered a friend, but I couldn't push back the wave of bitterness at her last words.

I'll give her some space to calm down, that would be best for the both of us right now.

"Just breath, I'll give you more time, then we can discuss this "

She lifted her tear-filled gaze to mine, her gaze filled with anger and bitterness.

"We have nothing to discuss, I made a huge mistake thinking we would be able to work out, you'll always hurt people and I won't ever be able to get used to that! "

I wasn't prepared for that.

I was left frozen for a moment.

"What are you talking about! " the words dripped out slowly from my mouth.

"I can't do this with you anymore! "

The sharp taste of hurt, Followed shortly by the burning sting of betrayal.

"I thought I would be able to do it but I can't! "

"Stop it! " the words came out of my clenched teeth.

"I really can't! I can't! "

"Please stop it!!" I growled out this time, grasping both her shoulders firmly backing her against the wall.

My breaths coming out harsh and uneven as I tried to suppress the brewing storm pulsating through my veins.

I tilted her face to mine, forcing her to look at me.

"You told me you got used to me, got used to everything! You said ....." my nostrils flared as I inhaled sharply

"You said you love me and wouldn't leave, you made me believe every word you said, made me believe I could be a better person to you and our daughter but in reality you didn't trust me at all, you've never believed that! " my voice rose with every spoken word

"Everything you told me was just a lie wasn't it!! " I roared, she flinched notably, her face turning paperwhite.

She shrunk away from me, her blurry gaze and trembling form revealed it all.

I could almost taste the raw fear sipping out of her.

I let go of her shoulders as her skin burned. Maybe it didn't, but the way she was staring up at me burned.

I took a step backward.

Then another.

Keeping a good distance between us.

I closed my eyes briefly, my jaws ticked continuously.

Even now she believed that I was going to hurt her.

It was the greatest betrayal of all.

"Get out! " I growled.

"Hayden I... "