The keys to the Audi hit my desk, followed by the set of keys that belong to everything I own. “That’s me, Mase. I’m done here.” Vinny leans in, and my nostrils flare, my eyes burning as I stare down at the carpet, unable to hold his eyes.
My chin trembles and I clench my jaw to stop it.
“Sixteen years, and I have never been more disappointed in you.” He rights himself, then leaves my office, not looking back.
“FUUCKK!” I roar, my chest rising and falling as I try to control my emotions.
Picking up the mug off my desk, I launch it across the room, shattering the glasses and jug of water laid out across the coffee table. Not satisfied or feeling remotely better, I walk over, flipping the table with my foot and smashing it to pieces.
Everything was too good, too easy.
I should have known.
“Lowell? What the fuck, man?” Lance mutters as he steps into my office, eyeing the mess. “What’s going on?”
“Cara—she’s here in London. Fucking find her or find me someone who can.”
“What? Is she fucking stupid?”
“Turns out she isn’t as stupid as we once thought.”
23
Nina
The sun isout in full force when I leave The Elm, so even though I am cutting it fine, I opt to walk instead of calling Vinny. I pull the straps of my vest top off my shoulders as the warmth seeps into my skin.
Mason seems to be ignoring my messages, and I refuse to ring him. I’d rather save that argument for later. I can’t believe he just walked out when he said he would be there. I thought he knew that it was for my benefit just as much as his—I wanted him there. He told me that Joey had an allegation made against him in the past, but I never pressed him on it. He said it never came to anything, but somewhere in the back of my mind I wonder what happened.
I felt like I saw a completely different side to Joey today. If I’m being fair, then that’s all I can judge him on. He seems harmless.
With the sun on my back, I head off in the direction of my studio, ready for my last session of the day with my girls.
Once in the studio, I set the mats up for the girls and make sure everything is ready for my class, then I go to the office to find the note Erin said she left me.
I scan the desk and move the files, but nothing shows up. I will have to ask Henry later, but there’s no way he would have come up even if he found it.
* * *
“Girls,you do that in two weeks’ time, and you will be taking home the trophy. That was insane!”
“We will, you mean,” Bethany, the eldest of the group, calls over at me.
I smile, pulling her into my side. “I’m proud of you, girls. Honestly, this past year you have come so far. I’m feeling quite emotional.” I start to flap my hand in front of my face as the girls all stand awkwardly watching me. “You guys head out, don’t mind me. We have a session Friday now. Don’t overdo it at the gym, okay?”
As always, the girls help me to put the mats away before leaving. I’m just packing up my things when my phone rings.
It’s Mason.
A gut feeling tells me not to answer. I don’t know if I have the energy to fight tonight. But I relent, accepting the call and bringing the phone to my ear.
“Nina?”
“Yeah, I’m here,” I tell him, resting my back against the piano.
“I’m sorry about earlier. I wanted to be there, but Elliot needed me at the office, and I’ve been flat out ever since.”
I roll my eyes even though he can’t see me. Does he think I’m stupid? “You can just say you didn’t like the fact I was with Joey, you know. Not that there is any reason for you to be jealous. You knew what you were walking into, Mason. He was just positioning me, and it was the first time he touched me the whole session.”
