I stared at the text on my phone from James, sipping wine straight from the bottle. “We need to talk,” I repeated the words under my breath, “I’m tired of talking, James Wood,” I took another large swig from the bottle, sitting it harshly on the counter. The thing I’ve learned about James is he loves to talk when it’s trying to convince me to stay in our loveless marriage, but the second I start asking the hard questions; he shuts down. He doesn’t want to talk anymore. He wants to make demands, and old Rosa would have fallen at his feet at the opportunity to show him that I was all in. “Years,” I spoke through gritted teeth to an empty, “Three years I spent falling at your feet. And for what?” I raised my voice at the ceiling.I paced the living room of my condo gripping the wine by the neck of the bottle. I’d switched from my scrubs to fluffy pajama pants and a tank top, which had quickly become my essential nighttime routine now that I wasn’t living with James. For three year

The moment the sun hit my face as I stepped from the plane; I knew I’d made the right decision. It’s been so long since I’ve taken a vacation, and never have I visited Bali. The breeze is warm and carries the scent of the ocean. The soft sound of waves is so alluring and wraps around you like a cashmere blanket. Something about it is just putting my mind at ease. It’s like an instant weight was lifted from my shoulders. “Just wait until you see our place,” Chris elbowed me in the side, wagging his brows. The boys loaded up the car that was awaiting us at the tarmac. They’d opted for a jeep-like vehicle with no windows or doors. The sides were open, allowing the warm breeze to lash against our skin as we drove towards the villa. “Is that a smile, Rosie?” Shawn lifted his glasses, winking at me while driving. “My smile is not that rare,” I shook my head, feeling my cheeks flush from embarrassment. Have I really been that obviously miserable as of late? Chris’ hands gripped

I felt my heart rate quicken. What was he doing here? And in my room.... “Don’t scream,” he whispered as he released the hand he held over my mouth. Anger floods my veins as I slowly turn around to meet searing forest green eyes. It’s so funny to me now that the tables have turned. I can see it shining back at me in those eyes. Desperation. But it hardly brings me peace. If anything, it’s guilt. Though I have nothing to feel guilty for. James was the one who chose Marina over me. Over our marriage. He chose indifference when he could have just chosen me. I’m forced to focus on the steady rise and fall of my chest, because every breath feels as if there’s not enough oxygen in the room. I blink, trying to diffuse the stare off between the two of us, “What are you doing here?” “The question is what are you doing here?” James retorts, never breaking eye contact. A heavy breath escapes through my nose as I shake my head, “The last time I checked, I don’t have to tell you wha

“Were you taking a shit or something?” Chris groaned as we climbed into the car. I rolled my eyes, trying to shake the feeling of James watching me. I knew he was. Even now, when I’d asked him to leave, he hadn’t. It was strange how that one kiss made me so hyper aware of his presence. I knew it was a bad idea. Letting him in, even if it was only for a moment. But I’d longed for so long to feel his lips and body pressed against mine. It was better than my wildest dreams. He tasted sweet and spicy, almost like one of those hot tamale candies. Reaching up, my fingers trembled as I touched my still swollen lips. His taste still lingered in my mouth. “Earth to Rosa,” Chris snapped his fingers next to my ears. At some point we’d started driving away from the villa, but my mind was still so preoccupied with James that I hadn’t realized it. “What?” “Did you hit your head while you were in your room or something?” Chris narrowed his eyes. “Give it a rest,” Shawn glanced in

“I don’t understand why you are here if Rosie didn’t invite you,” Chris sounded angry as he spoke. My eyes were still closed, and the beeping sound of my heart rate woke me up from a deep sleep. “I don’t need to explain anything to you,” James spoke through gritted teeth. James.... Memories of the boat came flooding back. I was feeling so weak and faint. After walking Shawn through what to do, he created a tourniquet with my shirt, but at that point, I’d already lost a lot of blood. Then, like a knight in shining armor, James’ face appeared above mine. “How did you know where to find her?” Shawn questioned from the other side of the room. How did he know where to find me? I don’t think I told him where we were going. My eyelids fluttered open, glancing around the room that contained three massive men. “Rosie,” Chris rushed over, being the first to see me awake, “Are you okay?” “I’m,” I cleared my parched throat, “Fine. Just need some water.” Shawn quickly grabbed a wh