Instead, I step into the hallway.
They both turn to face me.Clay’s expression is tight with shock, Harlan’s surprised and guilty.
“Who were you supposed to stay away from?”I ask as steadily as I can.
“Nova.I thought you were in New York,” Clay says, but Harlan clears his throat.
“You.He was supposed to stay away from you.”
No.
“Why?”My voice trembles at the edges.
“Because it would be easier for everyone.”Harlan again.
I turn toward him, my hands clenching into fists at my sides.“You’re supposed to be family.I trusted you, and you manipulated me.”
His jaw tightens.“Nova, that’s not what?—"
“Mari always did growing up, but at least she was my sister.Who are you to manage my life?”
He doesn’t answer.
“And you.”I round to face Clay, intending to confront him with all my anger.
But looking at him has emotions rushing up at me in a wave.
The backs of my eyes burn, and I spin and bolt out of the building.
Clay’s on my heels.“Nova.Nova, wait.”
He catches up to me outside the front doors, his trainers getting wet in the snow.I look up at him, not hiding the tears burning my eyes.
“It’s not what you think.”
“How do you know what I think?”I take a shaky breath.
“Let me explain.”
“That you made some kind of a bargain with Harlan that involved my feelings and your career?”
His throat works, his expression a tight mask of misery and hurt.“I told you I panicked that night, about us.That was true.”
“So, you went over my head and decided we were done without consulting me.”
“When you put it like that, it sounds bad.”
My eyes widen.“It took me putting it like that to make it sound bad?!”
Clay rubs his hands over his face.“I’m sorry.”
The next breath is painful.I wanted to tell him I was ready to go public, and now everything we had feels like it was built on a lie.I finally felt as if we were on even ground but he was treating me like a child this entire time.
“Me too.”
I shut my eyes briefly, as if that can block out the emotions raging through me, but when I open them, all the hurt and disappointment and anger are right there bubbling at the surface.
“You think you know better than everyone.On the court and off it.But you don’t get to decide what’s best, Clay.”
