The end of my question rushed out of me, because I waspissed. I was ready to commit murder, and I was rising up out of Kash’s lap without even knowing I was doing it. His hand clamped down. He held me still, but he was moving for both of us.
“Torie,” he barked.
I knew what he was going to do, and I started struggling. “No. That’s not fair.”
But Torie came over, taking in everything, and I already saw her go from my friend to his employee. She was set, the epitome of a cool professional. “What do you need?”
“Take her. Keep her in my office until this is done.”
I was pushed toward Torie, but I swung free. “No!” He couldn’t make me. Torie couldn’t make me. Scott and Drake were closing in, and shit.Theycould.
I found Kash, my eyes burning. “Don’t. Do not shove me in a corner for this. I mean it, Kashton. She was there that day. She was taunting me. She’s a part of that nightmare. Don’t make me go away.”
He wavered, and then Victoria was at the table. Her eyes were on us. She was watching and waiting.
God.
I hated her. I didn’t wait for Kash to make his decision. I rounded him and went at her. “You were there that day. I know you lied to me, and I know what really happened, but what you said to me…” I choked off, my entire body feeling like it was squeezing in on itself. “Get out of here.”
I cringed, hearing myself.
I sounded like a wounded, feral animal that was backed into a corner.
But no. That’s how Iwasfeeling.
She was here. She had come for me, sought me out, and she took a knife to my heart. With her words, she thrust that blade into me over and over again, only to leave, and thenhesent them for my mother.
My mother.
I was shaking.
“You vile bitch. You are pathetic. You are hateful inside, and you have to spew that outwards. You have to hurt others so you’re not hurting as much? Is that it? Or was it just payback? Because Kash didn’t want you, so you flew back to damage the one hedoeswant?”
She was silent.
Why was she so silent?
Why was this starting to not feel right?
No.
No!
I would not stop. I had a right to lay into her, and my entire body was writhing in fury. My vision was only seeing red. I wanted to hurt her. I wanted more than that. I wanted to destroy her. But she wasn’t saying a thing. She wasn’t reacting.
She wasn’t reacting.
There was no anger on her face.
Oh, God.
She was—she was remorseful. I saw it. I saw it in her eyes, and no, no, no.
No!
“Stop it,” I growled, advancing on her. My hands were in fists. “Stop. You don’t get to be the good one now. You’re not the victim here. You’re not. You victimized. You hurt me. You hurt me on the same day I lost my—”
An arm went around my waist.