Damaged Read Free

child sometimes. You can’t hide anything, every emotion is always painfully clear just by looking at you.” He ranted for a while and I tuned him out. Maybe he could tell that I was attracted to Jackson, but I knew he didn’t notice that Jackson was also just as attracted to me. I would point it out to him just to get a rise but I knew he would just mock me. It would serve him right if I took a lover. I would get as much enjoyment out of pissing him off as I would from the sex itself.
     
     

Chapter Three
     
     
     
    By the time we made it back home Brett had shut up. Someone had sent him a text that pissed him off and he turned his anger on them instead of me. I sighed, as I took off my coat and walked up the flights of stairs to my bedroom. Nights like these made me grateful that Brett insisted on us sleeping in separate beds. It seemed odd to me when he first suggested it when we got married, but I understood all too well now. He’d made excuses about being a light sleeper or something, but I knew now that the real reason had less to do with his sleeping tendencies and more to do with his need for secrecy.
     
    I knew how he spent his nights meeting with this criminal or that criminal taking bribes to turn a blind eye to whatever they had going on. I laughed to myself as I put on my night clothes, imagining how clueless Brett thought I was about his secrets. I knew all of his secrets, and I had plenty of leverage to use against him once the time came. I’d use every piece of information I knew to make sure that once I divorced him, he would never contact me, or see me again. I had to be honest with myself though, I had my doubts about Brett’s ability to let me go quietly. He may not feel anything for me anymore, but I was a chess piece that he wanted to keep on the board.
     
    I remembered then, a light bulb moment, the note that Jackson had slipped me. I race frantically back to my closet and to my coat. I dug through the pocket and my fingers brushed the paper. I snatched it up, clutched it in my fist, and raced back to my bed. I glanced at my phone on the nightstand and grabbed it, too. Once I was situated in the bed, propped up by pillows, I huffed out a breath and stared at the paper in my hand. I was dying to find out what it said, but this paper felt like a leap into the unknown. OK. I could do this. I opened the paper and stared at the words for a second, my brain not registering.
     
    Text me.
     
    Under the words was a phone number, his phone number. I squealed quietly out loud, excited and nervous. Why did he want to talk to me? Whatever he wanted to say, it was too much or too private to risk Brett seeing it. I snatched up my phone, unlocked it and opened up a new text message. I entered his number and then paused. What should I say? I decided to go for simple.
     
    Me: Hello
     
    I jumped when my phone dinged less than a minute later.
     
    Jackson: Lily, it was lovely meeting you.
     
    I was stumped. I knew he didn’t want me to text him just so that we could exchange meaningless pleasantries. I was feeling bolder than usual when I sent my reply.
     
    Me: I know you want to talk about more than just how nice it was to meet me. What do you want?
     
    I waited nervously for his response. This response was taking longer than the one before. Either he was at a loss for words or he was typing a lot. I bit my lip and groaned. Why did I have to choose that moment to act like myself? I didn’t know this man, maybe he was the type to take offense. I hoped not, I didn’t want him to ruin the image of him I had in my head.
     
    Jackson: I want to know what you’re doing with a man like Brett Wright. I saw the bruises on your arm. Do you need help?
     
    I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand. He wanted to rescue me. I had to admit to being a little disappointed. Did he see me as a damsel in distress?
     
    Me: I can handle Brett. He doesn’t hit me, just yells a lot. He just gripped my arm a little too