“Everything about this was fake from the get-go.” Matthew chuckles, but there is no humor in his voice. He lifts his glass and downs what’s left in it in one go, not even twitching at the burn of the drink. “And now it’s over.”
I jerk back like he slapped me. I kind of wish he had. It couldn’t have hurt more than this.
My heart thunders inside my chest as I just stare at him, his words ringing in my head. “You’re breaking up with me?”
He lifts his shoulders. “Is there a need to break up if it was never real in the first place?”
I grind my teeth, trying to hold back my annoyance. He just lost his mom, and he’s hurting, so he wants to hurt everybody around him in the process.
Or maybe he just doesn’t want you.
“So none of it was real?”
Another shrug. He leans down and grabs the bottle that I haven’t even noticed was on the ground next to him.
“The orgasms were.” He uncaps it, but instead of pouring it into the glass, he just drinks straight from it. “I mean, if you’re up for it, I guess we could go and do it again, one last time. I think Chase won’t mind if we use the gym. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time…”
I shake my head, refusing to fall for this bullshit.
He wants to fight?
Fine, I’ll give him a fight.
“That’s it?” I move closer so we’re standing toe-to-toe. “Nothing else? Just sex? That’s all this is?”
He nods. “Exactly.”
“So you won’t feel anything if I jump straight into somebody else’s bed?”
The muscle in his jaw twitches at my question, something dark and deadly shining in his eyes.
Good.
“I’m not the only bad liar here.” I jab my finger into his chest. “You wanna be an asshole? Fine, be an asshole. You wanna be miserable and alone? Be my guest. But you don’t get to pretend this is nothing. That you feel nothing for me.” I shake my head. Tears burn my eyelids, but I refuse to let them fall. “We can talk again when you get sober.”
I turn around, needing to get out of here, but he’s faster. His fingers grip around my wrist, tugging me back. “I just told you, there is nothing to?—”
“Well, I don’t care.” I pull my hand out of his hold. “You don’t get to decide this. You walked away the last time without even saying goodbye. Without giving me a chance to fight, but not again. You don’t get to break it off when you feel like it. You know why? Because I love you, and I don’t believe you when you say you don’t feel the same. So, no, Matthew. I’m not giving you an easy out. You don’t feel anything? This thing between us isjust fake? Prove it. But you better make it more believable than whatever this just was.”
This time, when I turn around, he doesn’t try to stop me.
I shove the door open, almost slamming it into Nico, who’s coming outside. He eyes me warily, so I force out a shaky smile before slipping past him and into the house.
The soft chatter inside seems way louder compared to the terrace. My eyes are blurry, so I bend my head, not wanting anyone to see me upset.
I just need to get out of here.
Need tobreathe.
Slipping through the crowd, I head for the door, but when I get out front, I find the driveway filled with cars.
Dammit.
I run my hand through my hair.
There is no way I can get my car out of here.
If I call Mae, she’ll probably turn around and come pick me up. Although, I can’t be sure that she wouldn’t go inside and give Matthew a piece of her mind when she sees me like this.
