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And yet, when I’d thought it was him who had broken into my apartment, I had been excited. I’d thought he was going to make my fantasy a reality, and I trusted him to do it. And that was nothing to him?
“If this is how you handle conflict, then I don’t want that place,” I said coldly, even though my heart was breaking. He’d made it clear what he thought about me, and I was done desperately working myself to the grave to gain recognition from someone who wouldn’t give it. I wouldn’t downplay my worth ever again. “I think it would be best if we end our relationship here.”
Richard’s mouth fell open.
“Are you kidding me?” he gaped, infuriated. “You’re gonna dump me because you can’t do your job?”
“I’m ‘dumping’ you for my own well-being. Nobody who can say those things to someone deserves to have that person’s heart,” I said. “Please, leave the room now.”
“Leave?” Richard laughed disbelievingly. “You want me to leave a room in my hallway in my house?”
“The room that your father told me to treat as my own as long as I’m here, yes. Don’t worry, I’m sure it will be yours again momentarily.”
Richard lifted his upper lip, showing his teeth in a derisive snarl. “Good. No one else will want to keep you here longer anyway.” You’re a disgrace, no wonder the other kids won’t play with you. I wouldn’t either. You’re just not worth the time, and everybody with eyes can see it.
Richard stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him and leaving me sitting in the cloud of rage he left behind. I just stood there for a second, then I turned to the bed and numbly picked up the phone. I had never bothered to hang up, so Jen was right there the minute I opened my mouth.
“Hey Jen,” I asked, “is that offer to room with you still valid?”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
RICHARD
By the morning, I’d finally cooled off, and I knew I needed to apologize to Lauren. She was right; I was angry and frustrated about Fabrizio’s arrest and my confrontation with my sister, and I took that out on her. I had said some things I wasn’t proud of in the slightest, and she was totally within her right to be pissed at me. I mean, I had even questioned her intelligence; how stupid was I to do that? She was easily one of the most brilliant women I’d ever met. I’m a fucking idiot.
Not that I wasn’t irritated with her. I was. I was irritated with everyone because they all seemed so willing to let Fabrizio rot in prison. We all knew he wasn’t guilty, so why weren’t they fighting harder? Just because of a doctored video? They shouldn’t have been be talking about minimizing his sentence, they should have been talking about keeping him from getting one. That was still no excuse for how I had behaved with Lauren, but once I talked with her, I was pretty sure she’d understand. I wouldn’t blame her for holding it against me so long as she gave me the chance to make it up to her.
Both she and Selene had said the same thing—that I needed to learn to handle my emotions better. Even Dad had agreed. So as much as it hurt my pride, maybe it was time for me to listen to them. I had to do better for my family and for Lauren.
So I prepared myself for the verbal backlash I was sure I was going to get, sent up a silent prayer, and went downstairs for breakfast.
Immediately I, knew it was worse than I thought.
I was greeted by three—not four—closed-off faces, all painted with disappointment. I froze in my place.
“What’s going on?” I asked, anxiety picking up. “Where’s Lauren?”
“Lauren,” Selene bit out, “left last night.”
She did what?
“What?” I gasped, disbelieving. “But—why? Where to? She’s here for her safety, she can’t just leave. The Irish could get to her and do something a hundred times worse than just hit her on the head! We have to go?—”
“We,” Dad interrupted sternly, “have to give her space. She’s somewhere safe.”
“Well—where?”
“Why should we tell you?” Selene asked. “She’s running away from you.”
For a second, my blood froze completely. That couldn’t be true, right? We were just worked up last night, we had said things we didn’t mean, and we could talk it out now that we were in better places, right? That was how this worked, wasn’t it? Unless… No one who can say those things to someone deserves to have that person’s heart. My mouth went dry. She meant it. She really meant it.
“She told us she needed to leave to avoid a conflict of interest with Fabri’s case,” Mom said, lips pursed, “but we heard you last night. What the hell did you say to her?”
“I,” I choked, “I was just angry. I didn’t mean any of it.”
Mom frowned.
“That’s not good enough,” she said. “She looked absolutely haunted when she came down here last night. What did you say?”
