“Kimber, you seem so much more... confident since the last time we saw you.”

I look at Liana in the chair on my right at the dining room table. “Why wouldn’t I be?” I ask.

She hesitates, her gaze trying ever so hard not to focus on the scars down my cheek. “Well, I... I just mean...”

“Kim.”

Curtis glares at me from the other end of the table as he slices a corner of his steak.

I flash a smile. “It’s all right, Liana. I’m kidding.”

Patrick chuckles and taps his fork against his plate of potatoes. “Good sense of humor on this girl. I’ve always said.”

“Well, it’s been a rough year,” I say. “No need to sugar-coat that, but... we’re getting through it.” I smile at Curtis. “Together.”

Liana coos. “Oh, that’s so sweet.”

“Is it the therapy?” Patrick asks.

She gawks at him. “Pat...”

“What? I’m only asking...”

“A little bit,” I answer.

“When I last spoke with Curt a month ago, he said you were hermit-like.”

“Pat.”

“What? He did.”

I chuckle at my husband. “He’s not wrong.”

“What changed?” Liana twitches. “If you don’t mind me asking, of course.”

“I don’t mind at all,” I say, reaching for my wineglass with my gloved hand. “Actually, I’m not sure what’s come all over me.”

Curtis’ eyes rise to mine.

“Well, whatever it is that’s gotten into you, sweetie, keep it up,” Liana says. “I do miss your smile.”

I look at Curtis. “Oh, I intend to.”

He blinks once as I take a slow sip from my glass.

“Will you be seeing a surgeon about that hand?” Patrick asks, gesturing at my glove with his fork. “I know a wonderful surgeon in the city who could take a look at that for you.”

“Yes,” Curtis answers for me. “We’ll be looking into a cosmetic.”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t think we will.”

“Kimber, no one wants to see a hand with only two fingers on it.”

“First complaint I’ve heard about it,” I say with a shrug.

He sets his knife down hard.

“Well, I don’t see why she should have to,” Liana says. “As long as she’s happy.”

“Oh, I’m very happy,” I say. “In fact, you’d be surprised just how much I can do with just a thumb and index finger.”

I raise my hand and touch the tips of them together to create a wide, girthy circle.

Curtis stares me down. “Really, Kim?” he asks. “You’re doing this here?”

“Sure,” I say. “Here. On the stairs. In the kitchen.”

“Kim.”

“In the shower.”

He stands up out of his chair so quickly it nearly topples to the floor. With three swift strides, he rounds the table and grabs my arm.

Liana gasps. “Curtis, what are you doing?”

“I need to have a word with my wife,” he growls as he yanks me from my chair.

I go with him as he pulls me across the house to the kitchen, wincing at the pressure of his fingertips.

“Curtis—”

“Shut your fucking mouth,” he snaps at me, his voice too low for others to hear.

“Let go of me.”

He pulls me forward and shoves me toward the refrigerator. I stumble against it, quickly finding my balance as he leans over me.

“This little tantrum you’re throwing right now is over,” he says. “I understand that we’ve got some shit to work out between us but not here. Not tonight.”

“Oh, that’s right.” I nod. “You’re suddenly very interested in working out our issues. Why is that exactly, Curtis?”

“Are you trying to humiliate me? Is that it?”

“Is it working? Or would you like to hear in excruciating detail how good his cock felt inside of me?”

His mouth forms a hard line. “Goddammit, Kimber...”

“How he made me come over and over—”

“That’s enough!”

I smile. “I’d like that divorce now, please.”

Curtis shakes with rage. “You listen to me, Kim. You’re gonna go back in there, sit down, and you will not say another word for the rest of the night. Do you hear me? This ends right now.”

I turn around and pull open the refrigerator door.

He exhales through his nose. “What are you doing now?”

I grab a glass bottle of Scott’s Dairy milk and kick the door closed behind me. He eyes the bottle and frowns hard as I twist the cap off and bring the bottle to my lips.

I drink it.

“Kimber, I swear to God.”

I make eye contact with him as I gulp it down, tipping the bottle more and more.

“Kim...”

Milk spills over my lips and down my chin, streaming all the way down my neck to the floor. I keep drinking and staring at him, honestly enjoying the deep red of his face and the violent twitch of the vein in his forehead.

Curtis grabs the bottle from my hands and throws it to the floor.

I flinch, cowering to the side to shield my face from the glass as it shatters under our feet.

Curtis takes me by the shoulders and yanks me toward him. “I will make you regret this, darling,” he whispers.

He releases me and I jolt backward, slamming into the refrigerator as he stomps out of the room.

I lay a hand on the counter as every nerve in my body shakes with fear and adrenaline. I hear Liana and Patrick speaking in the other room but Curtis feigns that pleasant, business-like tone.

She had an accident. She’s fine.

She’s taking care of it.

Don’t worry about it.

I said don’t worry about it.

The back door opens behind me.

I spin around as Nate steps inside. He wears a casual black suit, a white button-down shirt, and a deep blue tie. I smile at his handsome face as he looks from me to the glass on the floor.

“You know, we charge for those,” he says at the broken bottle.

Laughter trembles my chest. “Hey,” I say, tears filling my eyes.

He steps closer, careful not to crunch the glass, while I wipe drops of milk from my chin. His head turns as voices travel from the dining room. He focuses on them for a moment before looking at me again with those safe, green eyes.

I shake in place, completely torn to pieces from the inside out.

“I had a speech planned, but...” he points over his shoulder at the door, “you wanna just go?”

I nod. “Yes.”

He extends his hand to me and I take it.