The weird thing was, though, I didn’t know what ticked me off more. The thing with Shay that had only come about because my father had told me to try to steal one of her boyfriends or walking in on Piper and Zander looking quite comfortable together.
I thought Piper liked girls, but maybe she liked both. She seemed to be quite content on his lap, like she’d been on many other laps before. Not that there was anything wrong with that… but Zander’s lap? Really?
That was payback. I knew it was payback for what I’d tried to do with Nix, but it didn’t lessen the righteous anger inside of me, didn’t make me feel any better whatsoever. I was pissed, and I just wanted this day to be over with.
I got in the car, slamming its door shut before Zander could say anything else. It was a pity I’d have to sit in this car with him on the drive back, but once we got to the house, I wouldn’t have to look at his face.
God. And after the talk we’d had… I felt like a fool, and there was nothing worse than feeling like a fool.
Zander got in the car, eyebrows together as he started, “Giselle, let me—”
“Just drive me home,” I whispered.
“But I—”
“I don’t care.” I couldn’t even look at him, so I stared hard at the windshield in front of me. “Just drive, Zander.” I sounded pissed, and that’s because I was. I was too upset to hide my feelings right now, but give me some time, and I was confident everything could go back to the way they were before.
You know, before I started feeling like I could trust Zander. Before I started thinking that I might like him. Before all the mistakes I’d made. Shutting down, pushing him away… it’s what was best, anyway. He was my father’s man, not mine.
Zander could never be mine. And, hey, maybe my father had told him to play nice with Piper and Shay if he got a chance. That was something my father would do, try to play at every angle he could.
Zander didn’t say anything for a while. He only stared at me, as if staring at me would help smooth things over. Hint: it wouldn’t. Eventually, he must’ve understood that fact, because he started the car and drove me home in silence, not saying another word. Not trying to make excuses when I needed none.
He was a guy. Guys liked pretty girls. Guys especially liked pretty girls who were loose and willing to have sex at a moment’s notice. The only person I could have sex with was a fucking stranger at a fucking sex club.
Oh, and Rocco Moretti. Couldn’t forget that one.
I was out of the car before he put it in park, hurrying inside the house and practically racing up the steps to get to my bedroom. My father still wasn’t home, which was good. He’d see how upset I was and demand answers, and I needed time to calm myself down.
Fuck my father. Fuck Zander. Fuck every single guy who thought they could use me or lie to me. I was so tired of it.
Zander must not have gotten the hint, for I heard his heavy footsteps following me. I knew he could be as silent as a mouse—he was loud on purpose so I knew he’d followed me. I didn’t stop, though; I kept going, and I pushed into my bedroom, my gloved hands slamming the door shut behind me—or trying to.
Trying to and failing, since Zander’s foot was caught between the door and the frame.
“Giselle, please, let me explain,” he started.
I met his green eyes, frowning at him. “I told you, I don’t care.”
“But I do,” he shot back. “I know what it looked like—”
“Oh, yeah? What did it look like, then? What do you think I saw when I walked into that room? She was on top of you, Zander. All over you like sweat on a pig.”
“I think I’m the pig in that analogy. I’ve always wanted to be a pig,” he deadpanned.
“Now is not the time for jokes,” I hissed out, slamming the door on his foot again, harder this time. And still, he would not remove his damned foot. “She was all over you, laughing, and you looked very comfortable—but she’s a pretty girl, so I shouldn’t be surprised. Did anything you said to me before matter? Did it mean anything, or was it all lies, Zander?”
“None of it was a lie. And that didn’t mean anything. She was trying to get me to meet up with her later, and I kept telling her no.”
“Oh, yeah, you looked really upset about it.” My sarcasm was laid on a bit too strong there.
“What should I have done? Should I have pushed her off me? In case you didn’t know, Nix and Slade were both there. I can handle my own, but the odds were against me. I didn’t want to make any enemies.”
My voice was quiet as I said, “I don’t care.”
“If you don’t care, why are you so upset about it?”
Zander’s question caught me off-guard, and the only thing I could do was stare at him. Stare at him and open my mouth in an attempt to say something smart back, but nothing came out of my mouth. No words. The only thing I could do was realize he was right.