Beyond the Breaking Point: Three

Heart in her throat, Cassidy dashed out of the restroom only to come jerking to a halt. Feet frozen to the tile floor, she stared at the tableau before her.

Amber stood in the middle of the living room, lips swollen, bikini bottoms riding so low the smooth skin of her hairless mound was revealed. She clutched a scrap of fabric the same color as her bottoms to her abundant, heaving breasts. Her long blonde hair was mussed, as though fingers had recently played in it. Or like she’d just finished having sex, Cassidy’s dark side whispered. Amber’s weight shifted nervously from one foot to the other as she stared beseechingly at Max.

Phillip stood near the couch, dressed in the same blue muscle T-shirt and basketball shorts he’d had on when she left, but now said shorts and underwear pooled around his ankles, his shiny cock standing at attention. His handsome, dark-complexioned face had a scowl on it, his eyes were narrowed in a ferocious glare, and his meaty fists were clenched by his sides.

The crash must have been the sound of the coffee table, which lay on its side. Surrounding it were a couple of empty beer cans, a large bag of chips with a good portion of its contents scattered around, the remotes, a small plant holder and the remains of what must have been the table decoration.

Max stood, feet braced apart, fists in a white-knuckled grip on the kitchen countertop as though he were physically restraining himself from launching his lean muscular body at Amber. He leaned forward like a tightly wound spring, almost vibrating with fury.

And her, standing slightly behind and to the side of Max in the hallway, hand covering her mouth to keep from crying out, still as a marble statue and body just as cold. Everything seemed suspended, like she was encased underwater in a soundproof bubble.

Then Phillip spoke and everything came roaring to life. “Man, it’s not what you think. Well, it is, but I didn’t initiate this. You know I wouldn’t do that to you. I was sleep on the couch, minding my own damn business when she came at me—”

“That’s a lie!” Amber yelled. “Don’t you dare stand there and play the innocent role. You don’t think I saw the way you watched me when I came out of the room in my suit?”

Phillip scowled. “Hell yeah I looked. I’m a man, not a eunuch, and you obviously wanted me to notice you. You came out here, tits bouncing, ass on display and thought I’d turn my head? But I didn’t ask you to stick your hands down my pants while I was sleeping.”

Hands now planted on her hips, Amber leaned forward aggressively. Cassidy couldn’t stop her gaze from dropping to Amber’s abundant, perky, pink-nippled breasts. Unconsciously, she hunched her shoulders and crossed her arms over her much-smaller chest.

“You didn’t say no, either. I didn’t hear you complaining once I had your cock in my mouth. You damn sure weren’t complaining when you had your fingers shoved up my pussy,” Amber accused.

Cassidy had seen and heard enough. She put one foot behind her and pivoted, intending to leave the room.

“Cassidy! Baby!”

She halted mid-motion, gaze flying automatically to her husband.

Phillip appeared startled, as if he hadn’t known she was there. “I know it looks bad, but let me explain.” He held out a beseeching hand and stepped forward, only to trip over his clothing. As he hurriedly pulled up his briefs and shorts, she spun on her heels and strode to the bedroom. Phillip caught her at the door and laid a firm hand on her shoulder. “Cassidy, please, listen to me.”

She jerked away from his hold. “Don’t. Touch. Me.”

“Babe, this isn’t like before. I wouldn’t have had sex with her. I learned my lesson, I swear.”

“She had her lips on your dick!” Cassidy shouted furiously. And your fingers were in her pussy, she mentally added.

“But we didn’t have sex.” He had his hands braced on his waist, looking frustrated and guilty as hell.

She couldn’t deal with this now. Cassidy went to the closet and grabbed her suitcase. She should have just left the damned thing packed. Then she could have snatched it and gone.

Alarmed, he demanded, “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” she snapped. “I’m getting the hell away from you.”

“And go where? We’re thousands of miles away from home.”

She didn’t answer him, done talking. She stalked from the dresser, to the closet, to the bed, haphazardly throwing her clothes into the suitcase. In less than three minutes, she’d zipped the bag closed and was headed to the bathroom for the rest of her things, her husband right on her heels.

“Cassidy, if you’ll just calm down and listen, we can work this out. You want me to apologize? I’m sorry. I was wrong. I should have shoved her away, but it’s hard for a man to think when a woman has her hand on his dick. But I swear, I wouldn’t have allowed it to go any further. I love you. Our marriage means too much to me to throw it away over something this stupid.”

Cassidy didn’t even have an answer for the load of bull he’d just shoveled. In silence she scooped up her hair products, deodorant, and body wash and carried them back into the bedroom. Phillip reached out a hand to touch her again and she snarled, actually snarled at him. He visibly hesitated, reconsidering the wisdom of his action.

She continued into the room, ignoring the screeching and yelling coming from the master suite. Dropping the items into her carryon, she zipped the case closed and slipped the strap over her shoulder. Then she collected her purse, laptop case, and extended the handle on her rolling suitcase.

“Cassidy, be reasonable. Where are you going? You don’t have a car and I’m not giving you the keys to our rental.” He tried to take the suitcase and she snatched it away from him.

“I’m getting away from you, even if I have to walk to do so. I’ll go down to the security gate and call a cab.”

He grabbed her suitcase again, halting her forward momentum. “If you’re that determined to leave, I’ll take you. Let me put on my shoes and grab my wallet and keys. Once you calm down, then we can discuss this like rational adults.”

In a low, deadly voice she said, “Let go and get away from me before I hurt you.” Right then she was perfectly capable of committing homicide.

He released the handle and retreated a few steps. “If you insist on leaving, take the rental.”

Just then the door to the master bedroom was flung open. “And to think I was going to ask you to marry me,” Max shouted over his shoulder.

“Marry?” Amber shrieked from somewhere in the depths of the room.

“Max, I need a ride to a hotel. If I have to spend another minute here, someone is going to get hurt.”

Max’s blue-eyed gaze pinned her to the spot, but Cassidy got the feeling he wasn’t really seeing her. Abruptly, he nodded. “Fucking great idea. Give me a minute,” he said before re-entering the room.

“I’ll be by the car,” she called to his retreating back.

“What do you mean, marry?” she heard Amber say.

She had her hand on the doorknob when Phillip spoke again, his tone subdued. “I’ll call you in the morning. When you check in, call and let me know where you are.”

Cassidy opened the door and left like she hadn’t heard a word he said.

She paced by Max’s rental when he came down, large duffle bag slung over one shoulder. His stride was long and hard, his face set in angry lines. She didn’t say a word, simply waited until the locks clicked, signaling it was safe to open the door. She hefted her bags into the backseat and shut the door before climbing into the passenger seat.

Max flung his bag in on top of hers and slammed the door shut. After jumping into the driver’s seat, with a vicious twist he turned the key in the ignition, jammed the car in gear and squealed out of the parking space.

Cassidy glanced at the clock. A little after seven. It had taken less than an hour for her world to turn on end. She remained quiet as Max maneuvered out of the resort. Her fingers clinched on her purse, and there was a tight feeling to her scalp that promised to develop into a doozy of a headache later.

I can’t believe he did this to me. It was a litany in her mind. Not after all the counseling, all the promises. I can’t believe—

The sharp smack of Max’s hand slapping the dash jerked Cassidy out of her thoughts. “I can’t believe she did this to me.”

Join the club, she thought.

“I never thought she’d do something like this, and with Phillip of all people,” Max said bitterly.

Well, you should have! Cassidy wanted to snap. And what the hell do you mean, “with Phillip of all people?”

She took a deep breath and wrestled her emotions under control. Max wasn’t the enemy, and what happened wasn’t his fault. No, there was plenty of blame to go around and the two culprits that shared it were Amber and Phillip. She wouldn’t allow herself to take out her hurt and anger on Max.

“I want to put my hands around her throat and strangle her,” Max continued.

That makes two of us, she thought violently.

They cleared the security gate in record time. Once on the main road, Max’s aggressive driving intimidated more than one driver into getting out of his way.

Suddenly, Max burst into laughter, but there wasn’t any mirth involved. “And to think I wanted to marry her.”

Cassidy knew she should say something, either to comfort or commiserate, but she didn’t have any words. Two years spent reestablishing trust, down the drain. She should have followed her first instinct and divorced his cheating ass. But no, she’d fallen for his “Oh God, Cassidy, I’m so sorry act” and forgiven the bastard. She should have known he hadn’t changed.

“Which hotel do you prefer?” Max asked, interrupting her bitter recriminations.

She glanced out the window and took in their surroundings. “I don’t care. It’s just for tonight. I’m flying out on the first available plane I can get tomorrow.”

“Yeah? When you book your flight, make it for two. If I see Amber again before I calm down, I won’t be responsible for my actions.” He swung abruptly into the lot of the Holiday Inn Express. “If they’re booked, we’ll go next door to the Wyndham.”

They went inside and was able to get two rooms down the hall from each other, then returned to the car for their luggage. Minutes later, Cassidy entered her room, put down her luggage and stood trying to get ahold of herself. This was not how she’d planned on spending her vacation. She wanted to scream, kick, yell and punch—anything to rid herself of this terrible tension.

Instead, Cassidy forced herself to calmly log onto her laptop and check the airline for departing flights. While she was at it, she googled divorce attorneys, transferred half the money out of their joint checking account into her personal savings, and checked for one-bedroom apartments to rent within her price range. She also needed furniture. She didn’t want any reminders of her life with Phillip. A fresh start was what she wanted. What she deserved.