Booktree.ngIt-Starts-with-Us-Colleen-Hoover

I’m so sick of his remorse. I want to wipe that stupid frown off his face,
I’m so angry.
“I’m sorry.” He runs a hand through his hair and winces, coming closer.
“I had too much to drink at an event last night and…”
I say nothing.
“I don’t even remember sending those texts, Lily.”
I still say nothing. He begins to fidget, growing uncomfortable in my
silent anger. He slides his hands into his pockets and stares at his feet. “Did
you tell Allysa?”
I don’t answer that question. If anything, it infuriates me even more.
He’s worried what his sister will think of him more than what kind of
damage he’s doing to me? “No, but I told a lawyer.” I’m lying, but it’ll be
the truth as soon as he leaves this building. From this point forward, I’m
documenting everything he does to me. Atlas is right. Ryle looks perfect on
paper, and if he’s going to continue with abusive tactics, I need to protect
myself and Emerson.
Ryle’s eyes slowly journey to mine. “You what?”
“I sent them to my lawyer.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Seriously? You pinned me against a door on Sunday, and then you sent
me threatening texts in the middle of the night. I have done nothing to
deserve this, Ryle!”
He pulls his hands from his pockets and squeezes the back of his neck as
he spins to face the other direction. He stretches his back while he sucks in
a breath. He seems to be holding that breath in while he silently counts in
an attempt to subdue the anger building in him.
We both know how those techniques have worked in the past.
When he turns around, the remorse is gone. “You don’t see the pattern,
here? Are you really that blind?”
Oh, I definitely see a pattern, but I think we’re looking at different ones.
“We’ve been fine for a year, Lily. We didn’t have a single issue until he
showed back up. Now we’re fighting all the time, and you’re getting
lawyers involved?” He looks like he wants to punch the air.
“Stop blaming your behavior on other people, Ryle!”
“Stop ignoring the common fucking denominator for all of our problems,
Lily!”