I merely growl.
“Who the fuck cares about that dude? He doesn’t matter. But what the hell is wrong withyou? Why are you avoiding me? I’ve been blowing up your phone since last week and getting crickets in response. You should have told me if you wanted to move on. I know I’m not a Millennial but just plain manners, Petunia. Get some, will you?”
Her cheeks flush red as her bottom lip trembles.
“Manners?” she spits. “Are you fucking kidding me?” The curvy girl casts a venomous look my way, and I can see that she’s practically shaking with anger. “Okay, let’s talk about manners. I was stupid enough to believe that you were someone special. Instead, you’re nothing but a no-good, two-timing, smooth-talking asshole who just wanted to fuck me every which way.So who cares about manners? You’re getting your comeuppance!”
I stare at her.
“What are you talking about? I have no idea what you just accused me of.”
Petunia shakes her head at me violently, those curls bouncing in a halo. “You’re unbelievable,” she hisses. “How dumb do you think I am? What, aren’t you at least going to try to deny it? Or are you just going to pretend that you have no idea what I’m talking about when we both know that you do? The jig is up, Nico, so fess up!”
But I’m genuinely lost.
“Fess up towhat?” I question, my voice exasperated. “Seriously, just say what it is you want to say.”
That does it, and Petunia begins screaming then, her eyes bloodshot as her hands ball into fists.
“What’s this thing about you beingengaged?” she shrieks. “You’re getting married to another woman, that’s what this is about!”
Oh shit. She found out, and I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. I just didn’t want it to be like this.
“Petunia, I can explain–” I begin but she cuts me off with a loud snort.
“Fuck you, Nico! What explanation could there possibly be? You’re engaged to another woman, and I’ve been played for a fool. You came here in search of some random slut to get off with, and I guess you found one, huh? I guess that’s what Sanctum provides, right? Well guess what? The street works both ways because I don’t want to see you anymore. So sayonara!” she huffs before reaching for her bag and making to leave the suite. But I block her with my big body.
“No, Petunia, listen,” I begin.
Unfortunately, the woman’s on a roll.
“I guess this was your last big ‘hurrah’ before marriage, huh? It was your chance to get your jollies off by fucking a strange woman before you’re off the market for good, huh? God, Nico, how could you do this? How could you do this toher? Does she even know? I pity the poor girl.”
I fix her with a look.
“Yes, but do you know who my fiancée is?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care!” she screams, her face mottled with unhappiness and rage. “Some Greek heiress named Persephone is what the article said!”
I hold up a hand, preventing her from going further.
“Petunia,youare the mysterious Greek heiress,” I finally manage to interject in a deadpan voice. “Your name is Persephone Christos. Petunia is just a fake name your adoptive dad gave you.”
The curvy girl opens her mouth to scream again, but then stops. Literally, her lips are still quivering as her mouth snaps shut, staring at me.
“What?”
I sigh.
“This is not how I wanted you to find out, but here we are,” I say in a rueful tone. “Goddamn.”
After a few moments, Petunia shakes her head and lets out a stuttered moan. “Don’t be ridiculous, Nico. You don’t have to make up stories, much less totally outlandish ones. I mean–”
But I shake my head again.
“It’s true,” I say in a slow tone. “Youare Persephone, Petunia.”
She shakes her head again, refusing to believe the truth.