By the time I was done with Hudson the sun was starting to go and the lift had closed. I felt like I was more icicle than human by the time I climbed into my car. Even with the heat cranked for the hour drive back into the city I felt like I hadn't thawed in the slightest. The cold was in my bones now and it was going to take a hot bath to get rid of it. I was beyond thankful when I reached my apartment and was able to get all of my gear inside.

But the second I stepped through the door I saw the shining shoes in the entry and my heart dropped. this was the opposite of what I needed after a day like today.

"Connor," I called out, unable to keep the angry edge out of my voice.

But my damn ex-fiancé didn't bother to make himself visible until I unloaded all of my gear onto the couch in the living room. Then he materialized beside me, his light brown hair pushed back off his forehead with gel and a suit still hugging each and every one of his muscles. Paired with those piercing blue eyes he was hard for any woman to resist.

"Where were you?" he asked, his voice soft like he had been heartsick with worry.

"Working," I snapped, "And you don't really have the right to ask that anymore. You also don't really have the right to be here either."

"It's our apartment," he disagreed, looking like a hurt puppy.

"No, we agreed that it would be my apartment until the lease was up," I shot back. "Connor, I thought we were clear on this. I wasn't going to the press or even the lawyers if you and I could come to terms. We have, but now you are back tracking."

"I missed you," he whispered, reaching for me.

And, in that moment there was nothing I wanted more than to go to him. Even beyond how traditionally attractive he was there was a magnet between us. We had known each other since I had graduated high school. We had started dating while I had been doing photography to keep me afloat through college and I had given up my education to follow him through his hockey career, bouncing from city to city as he moved his way up to the NHL. He was comfort and security. Sometimes it felt like he was all I knew.

But, while I had given up everything for him, he hadn't done the same for me. I had been more than ready to marry the man before me when I had found out he was cheating on me. While I was picking out my wedding dress he had been with a blonde in Denver. When I had picked my flowers it was a brunette in Phoenix. I had given him my all and it hadn't been enough. The pain in my chest was just as raw as it had been the day he found me with his cell phone in my hand, crying on the bedroom floor.

"You need to go," I ordered, "I have plenty of editing to catch up on. Despite the fact that you told me that you were going to ruin my career I'm actually doing pretty well."

"I didn't mean it, Penelope," he groaned, acting like I was a child who wouldn't listen.

"No? Then why am I no longer allowed to do any photography for your hockey team?" I demanded, but I already knew the answer. A man like him couldn't throw around words and expect them to have no effect. "Coach told me that if I took even one picture of your team that you were going to throw one hell of a fit, maybe even threaten to leave the team."

"I was hurt," he whimpered, glancing away from me.

"You don't have the right to be hurt," I snapped back, my temper rearing its head. I always thought I was levelheaded and reasonable but seeing Connor like this brought out the worst in me.

"Come on, Penelope, let me stay the night and we can talk about things. I'm sure we can figure all of this out," he coaxed.

Last time I had fallen for the sweet voice and smooth offer. I had been swept away by the food he cooked because he never did anything like that. I had agreed to talking, telling myself it would give me closure. But seeing those eyes, sitting on the couch that I had excitedly picked out for our apartment, I had fallen back into him. I was afraid and insecure, I felt like I couldn't move on without him. I had let him kiss me, let him put his hands in my hair and lean his body against mine.

And I would've let him for further if I hadn't thought of how many other women he had done this with.

But now I had a weapon that I knew would cause him to fumble, one that would give me the upper hand I needed and reveal the less perfect side of him. I ambled over to my discarded gear and found the small, paper bag that reeked of grease. Acting nonchalant, I retrieved the container of fries and stared at Connor. I hadn't realized how badly I would need fast food when I had ordered it, but it was saving me tonight.

"Do you know how bad that is for you?" he demanded.

I said nothing and jammed the fry into my mouth. He had been like this for our whole relationship. At first I hadn't minded it. I had found it endearing, thinking that he was caring for me in his own bizarre way. Then, I realized that it was because hockey was his life. Nothing mattered but his performance. And that meant that hockey and his performance overruled our relationship in every aspect, even guilty pleasures. I would've only been a good wife to him if I could put myself behind hockey and everything that came with it.

But Connor seemed to know that I had only used to food to agitate him. he tried to collect himself before he spoke again. "Penelope, we should be together. Everyone thinks so," he complained, not seeing how disinterested I had become.

"That's because people don't know that you have cheated on me repeatedly," I stated, now searching for the bacon cheeseburger.

"Come on, we both know that we would be a good fit. With your photography skills you'll make me look great and I will make you one of the most famous sports photographers."

And just like that my patience with Connor was gone. I could handle him berating my eating habits, I could handle him acting spoiled and entitled. I had known him for years, it was a part of who he was. But I was a damn good photographer and the fact that he was taking credit for my success was inexcusable. Sure, he had helped the progress but I refused to move forward if all I was ever going to be known as was "Connor's wife".

"I have plenty of work to do. I have told you before and I will tell you again, you are not welcome in this apartment. Should you come back I will get lawyer involved."

And my coldness, my disdain for his words, finally made him as furious as I felt within. "Do it," he growled, "I'll take everything from you. I'm the reason you got anywhere. No one would know your name if it wasn't for me."

"Go, Connor," I ordered, turning my back to him. I didn't want him to see the tears that had appeared all of the sudden.

There was a pause, then the sound of him stomping towards the door. After he put on his dress shoes the door was slammed shut.

His threat to destroy me was all too real. And with that I began to cry.

***Hello all, I hope you are enjoying my newest book. Recently I've been trying to make all my books very different and that means trying my hand at something new every time I come up with an idea. For those of you who have been with me for a while I have posted a new update on The Princess and The Alpha. I would love if you gave it a read. For those of you who are brand new Welcome, I hope you enjoy the world I create.***