Urban Climber 2 Read Online Free Page B

can’t ignore him or the situation. And anyway, I don’t even know why I’m hesitating. In the past, I would have jumped to hear his voice. Oh, I guess that’s why. It’s no longer the past. It’s the present—and the gift of that is far scarier than my past ever was.
     
    “Hey, you.” I kick my shoes off as I lie back onto the bed. “Yes, I got home safe. I got in just a few minutes ago. How was your flight?”
     
    He tells me it was enjoyable and then questions me about his car like it’s his first-born child. “Yes, yes I was very careful with your Lexus. I know it’s very expensive.”
     
    I roll across my lumpy mattress, hearing the key rattle in the front door. “Mel must be home. I should go. Yup, okay, I’ll call you tomorrow. Say hi to Mom and Dad for me. Okay? Yup, I love you too. Bye.”
     
    I don’t know why I said “I love you too.” That was a lie. But what was I supposed to say? Thank you? That would have gone down like a plane with no wings.
     
    “Hellooo,” Mel calls out. “You here, missy moo? Or is that sparkling Lexus property of the mafia?”
     
    “Mafia?” I snort, stepping out of my bedroom and walking into the hall. “Turn it up, crazy head.”
     
    “So it’s yours?” she laughs, tossing her purse across the counter, eyes firmly glued to her mail.
     
    “It’s all mine, babe, and you’re welcome to check the trunk if you don’t believe me,” I giggle.
     
    “Holy shit—your face!” Mel squawks as she glances up, immediately rushing over to me.
     
    “Please, don’t hug me so hard,” I wince. “It’s not as bad as it looks, promise. You know what I’m like. I bruise like a peach.”
     
    “And your wrists?” Her mouth drops open. “What did he do to you? We have to call the police.”
     
    “No one will be doing that.”
     
    “Laura, he bashed you up.”
     
    I shake my head. “I was drunk. We started drinking, and I walked into a door on the way into the hotel. It was a stupid mistake.”
     
    “Don’t even try to say that’s what happened.”
     
    “I - I did,” I stammer, not wanting to meet her eyes. “That’s what happened.”
     
    “And what? He just gave you the Lexus?”
     
    I shrug. “Guess so. He never liked my submarine; it’s a deathtrap.”
     
    She crosses her arms. “And what? He’s not?”
     
    “Mel,” I chew at the edge of my fingernail. “Please don’t make this harder than it already is.”
     
    “And what the fuck is that?”
     
    Mel swears more than me, sure. But not just out of the blue. And right now, she’s being so pissy I’m starting to think that living at the airport wouldn’t be such a bad option after all.
     
    “Well?”
     
    I exhale. “What are you talking about? Why are you getting so shitty with me?”
     
    “That!” She frowns pointing at my newly acquired ring.
     
    “Oh,” I mumble, “yeah.”
     
    “What’s it doing on your hand?”
     
    “What do you want me to say?”
     
    “The truth.”
     
    “He still wants to marry me, Mel. He um … he got me a new ring.”
     
    She snorts. “Hah! As if the last one wasn’t big enough. Looks like he’s trying to make up for something else.”
     
    “Shush.” I smirk. “I’m not talking to you about his dick.”
     
    “Can we talk about what a dick he is?”
     
    I frown. “No. Can’t do that either.”
     
    “I’m sorry for swearing, but you’re not gonna marry him, are you? Not after all this. You’d have to be off your rocker.”
     
    I shrug. “I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet.”
     
    “So why are you wearing his ring?”
     
    I can’t look at her. “It’s pretty,” I mumble. “And I didn’t want to lose it.”
     
    “How can you forgive him after all he put you through, not even mentioning last night. HOW?”
     
    I shrug. “Maybe I overreacted?”
     
    “Overreacted?”
     
    Knock. Knock .
     
    My lips pull into a smile. Whoever it is couldn’t have timed it better. “Are you going to get