“Please. That’s exactly how they are,” I say, running my fingers beneath my lashes, brushing off tears. “I trusted you. I was foolish enough to think we were alike. And we could help each other. Love each other. I was so stupid.”
I breathe out a chuckle under his rueful eyes.
“And I still am. This never gets old. No matter how many times I crash and burn, I can never learn that just because I feel a certain way doesn’t mean that other people feel the same. I keep forgetting how fickle people are. But here you are, a great teacher of life, reminding me. Nothing matters in this world. Nothing. A heart means nothing. Feelings mean nothing. Words have lost their meaning. They’re now empty like seashells buried in the sand. It’s all dust before it all turns to dust. I fell for everything you said. Your story. Your family. You.”
Running a hand across my cheek, I trail my gaze down.
“I need you to leave now,” I say firmly without looking at him.
“Not before I get to talk.”
I raise cloudy eyes to him.
“It’s not your call, Jaden. There is nothing you can tell right now to change the way I feel. If anything, you can make things worse, so just fucking go. It’s better for both of us.”
His eyes glisten again, but there is no warmth in them. It’s hard to say whether there’s a shred of emotion left in him for me or not.
And frankly, I don’t care.
“I don’t want your words. We’re past that moment,” I say, calm and collected. “Good for you that you made a life for yourself and found a beautiful woman to warm up your bed, but I didn’t need to see all that with my own eyes. I don’t need to take that image to my empty home. And you don’t need to let her wait so you can catch up with some old flame you fucked on your way up.”
A muscle twitches in his jaw.
“Oh... I’m sorry. Did I hit a nerve? I’m sorry, baby, but see, you need to learn a thing or two from people you fucked over. Truth is always more painful than lies. That’s why people lie all the time. But you shouldn’t dislike the truth. It’s freeing. You told me that one time. Remember? It’s good for me too. It helps me to leave you and our little story behind me. I can finally close that chapter of my life and move on, as I’m sure you’d say. I’ll be honest with you. Tonight is going to be a miserable night. I might need to get a few drinks and pay someone to fuck me, so I forget that I met you, but tomorrow is a new day. A different day. And it will be a better day. Every day that follows will make me feel better and better. In time I’ll feel nothing for you, Jaden. I wasn’t good enough for you. I get it. But even so, you didn’t need to play with my heart. I didn’t do anything bad to you.”
Quietly, he fumbles inside his jacket, looking for a cigarette. He comes back with nothing.
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” he says.
“Go fuck yourself. I don’t need you to feel sorry for me. Now get out of my way.”
He crosses his arms over his chest and doesn’t move.
“Whatever...” I mutter, collecting up my clutch, gathering the bottom of my skirt, and slipping by him.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he thunders.
I laugh without turning.
“Watch me,” I throw at him without stopping, my voice filled with icicles.
7
SENNA
His armsunfold quickly before locking around me and pinning me against the wall.
He clutches my shoulders, and I don’t even fight him.
I only flash a cold, sarcastic smile.
“Really?” I murmur.
“You need to listen to me, Senna.”
I throw him a defying look.
“Nope. I don’t need to do a fucking thing. You lost that privilege when you walked out on me a year ago without the slightest explanation. Without a shred of care. Without a call or even an email. A text or a sign from you. You can’t possibly think I’m interested in what you have to say after all this time. Had you had something to say to me, you would’ve called me way before this day. We wouldn’t be stuck in this bathroom while a beautiful woman waits for you downstairs.”