I tremble as I make my way to the door. I can only imagine what will happen, but I have to hope he loves me enough to overlook my roots. He's not going to judge me like the rest of them. He can't.
With a shaky breath, I finally push through the door, dreading what's waiting on the other side. Hushed voices reach me from the living room, and the lump in my throat doubles in size.
When I round the corner, I see Kade sitting on the couch beside Courtney. She looks up to meet my eyes, seeming cold and angry. Kade's head is down as he leans forward with his elbows on his knees while he stares at the floor. His hands are clasped together, his body is stiff, and I can tell my hopefulness is going to be doused with reality. He's going to be like everyone else.
"You need to go. Now," Courtney says, a bitterness to her tone I'm accustomed to.
Who the hell does she think she is?
"I'll let Kade tell me what to do," I mutter calmly, digging deep to find those extra-thick layers of skin I put away.
Kade doesn't move, but his low voice comes out cold. "Go, Courtney. I need to speak to Raya alone."
I swallow hard, almost choking on that knot now. Courtney shakes her head. "No. Kade, she's a con. She can easily manipulate you into making another mistake."
My heart drops to the ground and shatters. Another mistake?
"Just go, Courtney!" he growls, making her jump.
She stands and brushes the wrinkles out of her fitted blue dress. Several files and photos are scattered across the glass coffee table. I don't have to ask what they are. If she's been digging for information in my home town, everyone was more than likely happy to oblige. If he chooses to believe those hypocritical fools who turned on my father while locking all their dirty secrets up in a closet, then he doesn't love me like I thought.
I glare at her as she walks by, and she holds my gaze with just as much passionate hatred. Right now, I wish my father had been violent. Then I'd know how to beat the hell out of her.
She finally breaks the eye contact as she walks out, leaving her messy trail behind for me to clean up. I can tell by the frigid temperature in the air, it's over. I won't let him judge me wrongly. If everyone wants someone to hate... so be it. I'm sick of defending myself.
"So you're a con?" he asks, slicing my heart out. "That's what all this was? You show up, find a way to weasel yourself into my house, and then what? Make me fall for you? Take everything I have?"
The tears that brim his eyes match the ones I'm holding back. Not again. I won't be that girl that crumbles and breaks again. I knew this day would come. I hoped for the best, but I prepared for the worst.
"My father is a con. I'm just his daughter. But I think you've already made up your mind about me. There's nothing I can or will say to try to change your mind. I've seen that look before."
"Deny it, Raya. Can you at least do that?" he hisses. "Can you say that you didn't play me? That you didn't work me over real damn well? And my father? And my grandfather? I should have fucking known he wouldn't have handed that bottle over for just any reason. You poured on the charm and he fell for it just like I did. Like we all did."
If you cut my heart out with a dull spoon, it wouldn't hurt this much. Still, I hold onto my tears, refusing to let him see me break.
"Yeah," I murmur coldly. "I talked those frat boys into bulldozing my house just so I could move in here. I cunningly whispered in your father's ear to plant the idea in his head. I conned him into buying me clothes and bringing me to Aspen. Is that what you want? I told your grandfather I love you just so he'd give me a bottle of wine he treasured. Happy? I told you I love you because I wanted to steal everything you have and disappear into the wind. There. Now you can feel good about doing this."
I turn on my heel, disgusted and broken. I've told myself before I'd never be loved by someone like him. Why I let myself fall is beyond me.
"Fucking unbelievable. Just deny it, Raya. Damn it. That's all I'm asking," he barks behind my back, but I ignore it. I don't want to hear any more cruelty spewing from the lips that loved me last night.
Hurt? I wish. I'm not hurt; I'm destroyed. I never conned him into loving me. I conned myself into believing he'd be different.
Chapter 17
Conned
"Raya, you need to grab the steaks for me, please," Dad yells as I jog down the stairs.
"Yeah," I mumble, wiping my eyes.
I really wish I could stop seeing Kade at school. The icy glares he gives me are painful. I do well to act unaffected on campus, but the second I'm home, I fall apart.
You'd think after two weeks, I'd be dealing better. But not so much. If anything, it keeps getting worse.
"I've got to be at work in an hour," I mutter as I grab the steaks from the fridge and carry them outside.
Brody is talking on his phone in the yard, and he lifts his eyes to meet mine once I'm outside. I still haven't forgiven him for his judgmental comment. I hate them all. The only ones who believe I'm good are the cons. And people think they're the villains.