I’d recognize Evan’s voice anywhere. But the anger is something new. Something terrifying even. The second I grip the cold handle and open the door, my body freezes and the shock makes my mouth hang open and my eyes go wide. My heart beats in what feels like slow motion.

“Stop it!” I scream at him. My words echo in my head as he slams his fist against Jacob’s jaw. It’s instantly red and swollen. And Evan’s already got his other fist up.

“Evan!” I scream as I run out of the foyer and into the hallway. “Stop it!” I yell and grip onto Evan’s arm. I try desperately to pull him away, but his hard, hot body is a force I can’t control and I’m still hanging onto him, my nails scratching his arm as I try to pry them apart.

“Evan, stop!” I slam both of my hands into Evan’s chest, managing to squeeze between the two men as Jacob grabs his jaw.

“You fucked my wife,” Evan yells over me, screaming at Jacob and this time I want to smack Evan straight across his face. I don’t. I don’t give him any reaction except to turn toward Jacob to apologize.

But Jake is smiling, a cocky grin plastered across his face like this is some sort of joke or game. Like he thinks it’s funny, and it does nothing but piss Evan off.

“You mother-”

“Stop it!” I scream again, and this time my voice feels raw and it pains me to scream. My body’s hot and shaking, adrenaline coursing through my blood as my heart races.

“Get out of here!” I yell and push Jacob away. His green eyes flash with something, perhaps disbelief, or maybe something else. I’m not sure, but I don’t have time for him.

“You’re cheating on me,” Evan says it as if it’s a question, his nostrils flaring and his hands still clenched into fists.

“I’m not the one keeping secrets, you fucking asshole. He’s a client and nothing more.” My gaze almost shifts away from him. I know there was something, a chemistry that kindled between Jacob and me. A tension that I wanted to push. But it’s only because I was hurting, and I never submitted to the temptation. I couldn’t hurt Evan like that. I never would.

“What is wrong with you?” I ask him with nothing but disdain. For a moment I think of all the questions on the tip of my tongue, asking him why he’s doing it and when he turned into this man. But this is the man I married. I’m the one who’s changed. Not him.

Evan takes a step forward and his hand raises to my shoulder. I smack him away, barely feeling his hot skin against mine. “Don’t touch me!” I yell at him. My hand stings from the impact and I can’t stand it.

I can’t stand what we’ve become.

Evan’s shoulders rise and fall steadily. The heavy breaths and furious look in his dark eyes make me take a step back. I’d never think he’d hurt me, never. But the fear spreading through my body forces me backward.

“Kat,” he says and his voice cracks, like my name strangles him as he whispers it again. He takes a hesitant step forward, raising his arms and the blood from his torn knuckles is all I can see.

“What were you thinking?” I can barely ask him. Evan’s expression falls and he looks past me. It’s only then that I turn and see that Jake is gone. “What’s wrong with you?”

“What was he doing here?” he asks me and I want to smack him again. How dare he accuse me of anything.

“I’ve never cheated on you, and I wouldn’t. Ever.”

“Evan, I can’t deal with this. The partying and what you’re doing.”

“I quit, Kat. I might … I might have some things happen.” He closes his eyes and moves his hands to his hair. Hands with split knuckles and traces of blood.

Was he always like this? I want to hold and comfort him. But it’s no use.

“I was stupid.”

“Evan, you’ve had years to be stupid. Years of me begging you to grow up.” Every word hurts more and more. I know I’m not going to give him what he needs. I can’t anymore.

“I wanted you to be my partner.” I whisper the words, my voice laced with disappointment.

“I thought that’s what we were.”

“I need someone who’s ready for the next stage of life,” I barely get the words out as my throat dries and closes, threatening to suffocate me. But I finish the thought, making my heart split into two as I look deep into Evan’s eyes and tell him, “Or no one at all.”

“Kat,” Evan says, whispering my name as if it’s a threat. One against him. Or maybe it’s a plea. “I’m sorry, okay?”

My head shakes and the words won’t come out.

“I’m sorry I hit him, it looked bad at first. It looked like something else to me, but even then I shouldn’t have hit him.”

“No, you shouldn’t have.”

“It was shitty of me. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he says and I believe him. But it’s not enough.

I wipe the tears from my eyes with the back of my hand as I shake my head. “I can’t do this anymore.” It’s the truth and even though it’s the worst pain that I’ve felt in my entire life, I know it needs to be done. “I can do this on my own.”

“Don’t say that,” Evan says, but he stands there numb, not moving, his hands by his side and his body stiff with disbelief. Or maybe fear. “I can’t lose you,” he says. I feel like my heart is breaking, but I shake my head.

“Maybe I should just be alone.” My eyes burn with more tears as I shake my head again and say, “No, I need to. I need to be alone. I’m sorry,” my voice fails me as I whisper the apology. I hate hurting him; I can’t stand the pain in his eyes and expression. He doesn’t try to hide it in the least, and it shreds me.

But we’re just not meant for each other, not with the lives we’re leading.

“I love you.”

“Love isn’t enough!” I yell and hate myself. I truly do. “It’s not enough anymore,” I say, steadying my voice although it’s still low. I cross my arms and try to keep myself together, I try to hold my body upright although it begs me to collapse.

“Is that what you want?” he asks.

“I want a divorce,” I say the lie as if it were one word. The words all come out at once, bunched together and needing to be said, to be heard. To be felt to the very core of who Evan is.

My fingertips grip onto my forearms as I slowly raise my eyes to his and the conviction wavers.

He doesn’t speak, although his lips part once and then again. He licks them as his brow furrows and he visibly swallows and looks past me at the empty wall. Again he starts to say something but stops, clasping and unclasping his hands and trying to find some way to tell me what he’s thinking.

The worst part is that I want him to say something. I need him to give me something to hold on to him.

I’d go mad waiting to hear him tell me he’ll make this right. For him I’d fall again, I know I would. There isn’t enough strength in my body to keep me from Evan.

But he doesn’t say a word. It takes a long moment. Each second my heart beats, the steady sound is all I can hear anymore. And then he turns his back to me and walks away without saying another word.

My body is freezing as I slowly turn from the hall and head toward our door. I can’t breathe, but somehow I am. I can’t manage a thought, but my mind is whirling with the image of what just happened.

The way he spoke my name like he needed me. The way his voice was laced with desperation and his eyes shined with determination, but then failure. The way his expression crumbled when he realized he lost me.

I don’t stop walking until I get back to our bedroom, barely glancing at the unmade bed and remembering the last time we shared it and everything about that night. I can still feel his lips on my neck, his hands traveling ever so slowly down my body as he whispered how much he loves me. And I believe the sentiment. No one has ever loved me like Evan, and no one else ever will.

It’s just not enough.

For me, I’d go back to him. I’d let him do what he wanted and I’d pay the price. I head into the bathroom.

I pick up the small plastic stick still hanging off the edge of the sink.

My head’s been a mess with all the shit Evan’s done. I didn’t realize I’d missed one period, let alone two.

It’s the brightest set of pink lines. I may not be the best friend I can be, or the best wife for that matter. But for my child, I’ll be the best mother I can be and that starts with saying no to the life I once lived and had with Evan.

My hand splays on my lower belly as I lean my back against the edge of the sink. I have to tell him and I will, but not yet. I need to stop loving him. I need to move on and focus on what I change and make better for what’s to come.

And a life with the two of us, well, now three … that’s a life that can’t exist.

Not after the damage Evan’s caused.

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Thank you for reading Damaged. Evan and Kat’s story isn’t over yet. is book 2, the final book, in their duet.

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Need more right now? You can always sign up to my for exclusive sneak peeks and the first five chapters, unedited of Scarred.

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Have you read the first duet in the Sins and Secrets Series? Jules and Mason’s story is not to be missed … have a sneak peek of .

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Fate brought us together, but the sins of my past threaten to rip us apart.

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In a city ruled by corruption and powerful men, only the ruthless survive. And that’s just what I am. Like father, like son. The life I lead is riddled with black tie affairs and dark secrets.

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A simple mistake destroyed a woman I knew nothing about. She was only a name and a beautiful face in a photograph. Her fairytale life was shattered, but I didn’t give a damn.

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Or at least I thought I didn’t care, until she stumbled into me.

One look, and I was tempted.

One taste, and I was hooked.

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It wasn’t supposed to turn into this. She’s a good girl from the Upper East Side, innocent and naive. She’s ashamed to be moving on so quickly.

Especially with a man like me. Someone who could tarnish her sterling reputation and make the crack in her picture-perfect frame splinter even deeper.

We both know this was only meant to be a one-time thing. But I’ll never have my fill of her.

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Now she has me wrapped around her little finger, using me to get through her pain. I’m addicted to her soft moans and the way her nails scratch down my back. I’m starting to need her just as much as she needs me.

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I’ll protect her from the truth as long as I can. But even if she finds out, I’m not letting her leave me.

She’s mine now.

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