They say everything that happens to us is the result of our feelings. How we allow something to affect us through emotion. And this is about to break me into a thousand little pieces. But I can’t show her that, because Zoe isn’t in the right state of mind to listen to reason.
I’ll have to force her to see. I just need a bit of time.
“We have a deal. And I’m sure you wouldn’t want your brother to know what’s been going on.”
“Are you fucking threatening me?”
“I don’t want to, but if that’s what it takes, so be it. You show up in New York, and everything goes to shit. Do you really want your brother to deal with that?”
Zoe looks shell-shocked, speechless even, but it only lasts a second before she schools her features and smooths down her hair, nodding. “You’re right. Aaron can’t find out about any of this. Not right now. He’d blame me.”
Merely saying those words was enough to make her believe me. They sank into her mind like butter, revealing just howfragile she is right now. Maybe she has always been this way, unable to risk losing the one and only person she believes cares for her. But she couldn’t be more wrong. I will always be there for her, even if she hates me forever. And I have a feeling Tristan would drop everything to be by her side too. But when you’ve been abandoned for so long, your perception of reality becomes distorted. And what happened in that closet only worsened things. I wish I could take back my words, reassure her that she’s wrong. Aaron wouldn’t blame her, and if he did, I would set him straight. For now though, I have to use her insecurities and fears to my advantage.
“He would.”
Zoe’s chin quivers, but she doesn’t drop her gaze. Even if she forgives me one day for this, I never will.
“We don’t have to tell him. If you play along,” I continue.
“I hate you,” she spits out, her anger hot enough to power up an entire hockey arena.
“Let’s—” I start, but Zoe raises her hand, stopping me.
“I’m done listening to you, Dominik. This is how it’s going to go down. We keep this between us. In two months, you will come to my work event’s grand opening. I’ll stage a public breakup at the event. And after that, no one will remember me, and we will go our separate ways.”
“You’re an idiot if you think that’s going to happen.” I’m going to be sick.
“Leave me the fuck alone in between games and events. Or I’ll make your life a living hell.”
“Zoe,” I whisper.
“After our agreement is over, I never want to see your face again.”
I am in a state of shock, unable to speak as she pushes me aside and abruptly leaves my room. The front door slams as I remain rooted in place, replaying everything over and overagain. Different scenarios, different versions of us in different timelines. I wish I could go back and do this all differently.
I never want to see your face again.
I sink to my knees and cradle my face in my hands, letting the weight of her absence and everything that occurred in the last twenty-four hours finally engulf me.
2
ZOE JACKSON
I don’t think hate would even describe how I feel about Dominik right now. And I want to feel it all, but truthfully, I feel nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
I’m completely numb. Unable to grasp what just happened.
Everything I thought I knew just feels like one giant lie.
I punch the elevator button with my finger, knowing it will not make the damn thing show up any faster, but the anger within me is blinding.
Where am I even going? Up to my brother’s empty penthouse? I have no one to talk to about this. I’m all alone. Always alone.
You’d think I would be used to this feeling by now. That I could turn it off. But the feeling of betrayal and hurt never gets easier. Time never heals those parts of me, never dulls the pain, and I hate that more than anything else.
I hate myself for letting my situation affect me in this way.
