His Love Came Too Late, I'm Already Another's Wife novel · Chapter 16 of 24

Chapter 16: Eli's POV: Say It Louder

Eli's POV

Bev's voice came out of my pocket at a quarter to eight.

"He's grabbed it, Eli. Get over here."

I was in the Regency bar in nine minutes. I do not remember the drive.

Preston stood by the corner booth with Maia's phone in his fist, and half the bar was watching him.

Maia sat very still, with her hands flat on the table.

When she saw me, her shoulders came down.

That was all I needed.

"Eli." Preston's voice cracked. "She recorded me. She's been working with you the whole time."

"She asked you a question," I said. "You answered it."

"Give me the phone."

"It's yours?" I said.

"It's..." He looked at the phone in his hand. "It's hers."

"Then give it back."

He threw it.

It hit the floor beside my boot and the glass split from corner to corner.

Nobody in the bar made a sound.

"That was one copy," I said.

Preston stared at me.

"Bev has the rest. Bev drove a school bus for thirty-one years and writes down every incident in a tape recorder. She has an hour of you."

His face went white.

I took one step toward him, and he flinched.

It was a small flinch, and it told me everything. Six years, and he still thought I was the one who would hit him.

"Say it again," I said quietly.

"Eli..."

"Say it again, louder. Say it so the bartender hears. You drove the car."

He looked around the room. The bartender had stopped wiping a glass.

His mouth worked.

He said nothing.

"All right," I said. "That's an answer too."

I took Maia's coat off the booth and held it out, and she put her arms into it.

I did not speak to her until we were in the truck.

Then I said, "He held your hand."

"I let him."

"I saw it from the door."

"Eli."

"I know why you did it. I'm not angry at you." My hands were gripping the wheel so hard the leather creaked. "I'm angry that you had to sit across from him and let him."

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