“Oh my god, you’re still pissed he didn’t choose you? I’m right, aren’t I?” I can’t believe I didn’t notice. She’s jealous.
“You know nothing, Leo.”
“You wanted to go to that dinner because you wanted his attention. The money has always been the appeal, hasn’t it?”
“That doesn’t mean —”
“You were disappointed it wasn’t you he asked.”
Silence drops as the truth hits home, and there is nowhere to hide from it. It’s ugly and shatters the curtain it hid behind all this time.
“Don’t turn this around on me, Leo. You enjoyed it.”
The accusation strikes harder than it should, but at the time, I didn’t want to do it.
“You liked being chosen,” she continues. “You liked him wanting you.”
“That’s not true, I didn’t want to go through with it, but you both kept pushing and you promised it wouldn’t affect us.”
“If that’s what you want to tellyourself, but you certainly enjoyed it when it was happening. I could tell after,” she says as her gaze sharpens.
“You’re not exactly subtle, Leo.”
My hands curl into fists.
“You pushed me into this.”
“I encouraged you to be a man for once and make the right decision.”
“By selling my body? Yeah, such a big man decision.”
“Are you telling me you didn’t like it?”
The room feels smaller, and it becomes harder to breathe.
“Maybe this is just who you are, Leo. Maybe you finally found an excuse.”
“An excuse for what?”
“For being gay,” she says like its a nasty accusation. I stare at her, completely stunned. Who the hell is this person?
“What?”
“Oh don’t act shocked,” she snaps. “All those years hiding in workshops. Never wanting to touch me. Never wanting anything —”
“That’s not fair to blame all that shit on me. You’re the one who turned cold in bed. Do you honestly think being spoken to and scolded like a child every day makes me feel wanted? Turns me on?”
“Ethan turns you on. You went back to him.”
“I had to, he was messing with my head, messing with us.”
“You wanted him.”
I shake my head. “You’re rewriting things.”
“Did he touch you?”
I don’t answer, letting the silence speak instead.
