“Arturo?” The idea of that derelict being there for Molly when I wasn’t makes my belly burn.
“No,” she says. “Arturo actually helped. It was Petra.”
“Okay. So Petra gave you a ride home.” I guess that makes a certain amount of sense, given that she was right there at the—
“Actually, I called Georgia. She came to get me.”
My vision seems to go black for a moment. It’s all I can do to get a sentence out. “You didn’t think to call me?”
“I didn’t want to bother you when you were busy at work. Georgia freelances, so she could take a little break to pick me up.”
I jump to my feet, unable to sit like a housebroken dog. Bitter wrath surges, sloshing through me like a wave of acid. “You’resupposedto bother me!Ishould’ve been the first person you thought to call!”
“But Nicholas, Iwasthinking of you. I just—”
“You thought I’d put my work before you.”
“That isn’t what I thought!”
“Isn’t it?” I put my hands on my hips. Something unfamiliar and acrid pools in the back of my throat. It’s the taste ofdefeat. I clench my teeth. I don’t want to give up, but I don’t know how to break down the wall she’s erected. Bridge the distance she keeps placing between us.
I focus on breathing for a moment. I can’t give in to my temper and shout at her. This is too important.
Finally, when I can control myself, I gentle my tone. “Molly. What am I to you?”
She looks at me like I just asked her to solve a multivariable equation using Roman numerals. Time stretches.
It shouldn’t be this difficult.She just doesn’t want to accept the most obvious—and correct—answer.
I take a step back. She doesn’t take a step forward.
Of course she isn’t going to stop me from leaving—nor is she going to follow me to close the gap between us. I should’ve realized that whatever I thought we had was all in my head.
“I see. Well, let me know when you decide.” I steeple my fingers, trying to think clearly. “Cody will take care of everything, including the legal matter. And you can stay here as long as you need, since you don’t have anywhere else to go.”
I force myself to turn from her and walk out before I throw away my pride and beg her to take me.
If I go that far, I don’t think I’ll ever to able to forgive myself—or her for forcing me into a corner I never wanted to be in.
Chapter Forty-Two
Nicholas
I drive aimlessly. My head is jumbled, and I can’t organize my thoughts. Actually, forget thoughts. I don’t even know what I’m feeling. I’ve never been this hollow. It’s like somebody has reached inside my body—my soul—and ripped out everything that made meme.
Finally, I decide I need someplace to stay. It’s just… I call Sebastian. “Hey, can I crash at your Residence? The Aylster, not your home.” I don’t want to deal with my brothers’ concern, not right now.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll let the concierge know. But what’s going on? What happened to your house?”
“Can’t stay there.” Seeing Molly hurts too much.
“Need a general contractor? I know a couple of good ones.”
I let out a hollow laugh. “I don’t think he can fix what’s broken. Thanks for the offer, though.”
I hang up before he can probe, and head to the Aylster. The concierge greets me with an access card in the lobby. They know us well, and who’s allowed to use the Residence.
“If there’s anything we can do to make your stay more enjoyable, just let us know,” the woman says with a hospitable smile as she hands me the card.
