Licorice Whips by Bridget Midway Read Free Book Online

tone.
    “Hey.” Nikla never heard her boyfriend use a pet name for her before. Maybe this was him trying something new. “Justin? Hello? Are you there?”
    It sounded like he had pocket dialed her, but from the moans, it sounded like he might be hurt.
    “Can’t take it.” Justin’s squeaky voice couldn’t be mistaken. 
    “Justin!” Nikla screamed.
    All sorts of scenarios raced through her head. Had he been kidnapped and being tortured? Hell, was he having a heart attack?
    “Feels so good.” Then Justin growled.
    Feels good? Since when did torture feel good? That statement froze Nikla. Her man growled? He didn’t even do that when they had sex.
    Nikla stopped next to her vehicle and listened to Justin’s mumblings. With each moan, grunt, and growl, her blood boiled. After staying by this man’s side, admonishing herself for wanting to leave him, he had betrayed her trust and had the nerve to accidentally call her to witness it.
    “Nikla has never done it like this.” Justin punctuated the statement with a chuckle.
    When she heard him say her name, Nikla’s spine stiffened. Before the top of her head could fly off, she unlocked her car and sat inside as she listened to the rest of this horrible mistake.
    The call seemed to last for hours but truly had only been a couple of minutes more before she heard him do his standard squeal and groan before coming.
    “Oh, God. Can’t believe you just did that. Nikla would never swallow.”
    This time Nikla growled. “You arrogant, self-centered, cheating, lying son-of-a-bitch!” She screamed in the phone, hoping he could hear her. “I gave you everything! I put up with your shit! And for what? If I needed sex, all I had to do was reach into my nightstand! You’re worthless! I hate you!”
    Nikla hated herself more for not following her initial instincts. Her instincts had never failed her before. She should have never questioned herself now.
    She heard a rustling on the other line before she heard an “Oh, shit,” then a sheepish, “Uh, hello?”
    Nikla disconnected the call and threw her phone in her open purse that sat on the passenger side seat. The conversation she needed to have with Justin had to be done in person, not over the phone. He needed to see her rage. Once she got that off her chest, she would do what she’d planned: move on with her life and get on with her goals.
    Hell, she should have been mad at herself. She’d wanted Justin to surprise her. This did it.
    As she drove to her home, Nikla noticed how her hands shook. Anger coursed through her body until she thought the blinding rage would cause her to crash into another vehicle. She needed to stop for a bit to calm herself down.
    At her first opportunity, Nikla pulled over into an empty parking lot except for one light blue eyesore. As old as the truck looked, despite it being so clean, she assumed someone must have left the vehicle for the city to acquire. No matter. She just needed to time to wind down.
    Nikla hopped out of her car, a head full of steam. With arms folded, she stomped up and down the empty sidewalk. She’d lost so much time being with Justin.
    Not one for wasting time, it truly pissed her off that dealing with this Justin drama derailed her from her plans for that day. Just like with her meals, planning her day gave her a sense of structure and control.
    Nikla tried taking a couple of deep breaths to ease her jangled nerves. As a yoga instructor, she knew that technique should have helped. Ordinarily it would have. The lies and the betrayal hit her hard.
    She balled her hands into fists. The devil on her shoulder whispered in her ear to get something sweet to ease her pain. When she was younger, eating had been her go-to to cope when aspects of her life became too tough to handle.
    Nikla had to stop and push those thoughts aside. Once she halted her march, something caught her notice. A large “For Lease” sign in the window of a corner unit in the shopping center snagged