“Oh, and let’s not forget the fact that you were, how did he put it—” I make air quotes with my fingers. “—planning to score?”
Guilt sweeps across Xavier’s face, and disappointment claws at whatever’s left of that thing in my chest. Finn wasn’t lying.
Xav cringes. “Who told you that?”
“Does it matter?”
“Aveena, who the fuck is it?” he hounds.
“I heard Finn talking to Theo.”
Please tell me I’m wrong, I silently beg, tell me Love was more than a conquest. More than a shiny trophy to add to your shelf.
His silence is my cue.
“Copy that.” I nod and set out toward the door, but his hand flies out to catch my wrist.
“Vee, wait. Just… let me explain.”
“Save your explanation for someone who gives a shit.” I retrieve my wrist. “Oh, I know. Why don’t you try Brie? She’s the one you’re fucking and leading on, isn’t she?”
I expect him to feel ashamed, but he knocks the breath out of me with his unapologetic answer.
“Was fucking.”
“What?” is all I can say.
“You heard me.” He steps dangerously close. “I ended it weeks ago. Something you’d know if you gave me one fucking minute to explain myself. But you obviously know everything already. So, why bother, right?”
Xavier starts closing in on me, and I step back without thinking, my pulse climbing to worrying rates.
“Don’t pretend like Love was anything more to you than a booty call,” I spit. “I heard Finn—”
He scoffs. “What you heard, that was just Finn spewing his usual bullshit. He read your text asking to meet up over my shoulder earlier. He didn’t even see the sender. Just assumed we were meeting to hook up. My only mistake was not correcting him.”
Oh.
“Strike that. My mistake was continuing to sleep with Brie to convince myself I didn’t give a shit about you.”
I swallow hard.
Don’t fall for it.
He’ll say anything right now.
“Wow.” I shake my head. “You’re good, Emery. Ten out of ten. Almost fell for it.”
“I’m not fucking lying!”
“So, what? I’m supposed to believe you gave up your side piece because of me?” I force a careless cackle, but it sounds fake. Painful. “Your perfect cheerleader girlfriend with the perfect body? By all means, Xav, go back to her. Don’t let me stop you.”
“You did stop me!” he snaps, his outburst catching me off guard. “For fuck’s sake, Vee, don’t you get it? You stopped me before I even knew who you were.”
His admission shakes me to my core.
It feels like the air has been sucked out of my lungs as he stalks toward me like he’s the king of the jungle. And he’s coming to claim his prey. A gasp sneaks past my lips when the back of my thighs hits something.
Finn’s dad’s white Tesla.