Page 106 of False Promises

She took a step toward me. “Carter, I love you. You don’t mean any of this. Listen to me, I’ll explain everything.” She cast a glance down as if it hurt to say the words. “The name thing, it was for my safety. The police put me under the witness—”

“Fuck. Stop. Enough with the stories you make up in your mind. The all-girls school you went to was a mental health facility. You are a pathological liar. And a manipulator. Nothing you ever say is true. For fuck’s sake, you never even rode a horse in your life.”

More fake tears welled in her eyes. “Don’t bring up Savane. You have no right. We were best friends.”

“Your mother told us you were allergic to horses. Stop lying. It’s. Not. Working. Anymore. I couldn’t care less.” I shook my head, my lips parted in disdain. “Back in high school, you ruined the lives of your best friend and your teachers, and everyone who’s been around you has been tainted by your actions. Does it bring you pleasure to hurt people? Does it get you wet? Or high?”

Her lips parted, but I continued before she could add another lie.

“Don’t say anything. We dug up all your dirty little secrets. Being evicted? A lie. Probably to get me to rent you a fucking palace you don’t deserve and that we never needed. Who called you that night? Who did you pay to fake being your landlord over the phone?” I shook my head. “Getting fired from the TV show because you wouldn’t sleep with the director? All a lie. You’re the one who harassed him and showed up at his house one night, naked. His husband walked in on your making a fool of yourself. Yeah, he’s gay. Bet you didn’t see that one coming, right? You threatened to spread rumors about him to save face, but guess what, he was better connected in Hollywood than you were, and you were the one who got fired.”

Venom spewed from her eyes. “You have no right to spread rumors, Carter. Who’s lying now? Every word you speak is bullshit.” She let a shrill laugh out. “Who would believe you anyway? You’re a loser. A pathetic individual who has been loving a woman, who never reciprocated his feelings, for so many years that now your heart is screwed. Who’s sick, tell me? I’m not the one pining for my dead brother’s widow like a lame puppy. Or the one having paralyzing panic attacks like a four-year-old afraid to sleep at night. Stop insinuating you know me or my past. All you’ve heard are angry people thirsty for vengeance because I turned out better than they did, and their existence is useless.”

She inched closer.

“The way I see it, you have two choices. One, you become one of them. Or two, you get your sanity back and realize I’m the best thing that has ever happened to you and you thank me for being so awesome and dealing with your stupid self.”

“Okay, you really are delusional. Your parents warned us.” Bile rose in my throat. Again, how could I have been so blind?

“I am the woman of your dreams. Stop pretending otherwise.”

I scoffed. “From now on, you’re not allowed to reach out to me ever again. You’ll be served a restraining order later. If you haven’t computed anything I’ve said so far, we are over. O.V.E.R. Forget my name, my number, and that we ever crossed paths.”

“No. You can’t do that.” Her eyes threw poisonous daggers my way. “I won’t let you.”

“Savannah, don’t bother. I already did.”

“What about us? Our love? Our future?”

“There was never an us. I thought there might have been, way back at the beginning of this thing you call a relationship, but that was all pretense. I’m seeing the entire picture now, and I’m telling you. There. Is. No. Us. I want nothing to do with you anymore. I’m ashamed to say I ever did. Congratulations. You ruined another relationship.”

“Carter, you’re such a hypocrite. You can’t live without me. I’m the best girlfriend you’ll ever get. Scratch that. I’m the best. That’s it. You’ll never find someone else like me.”

I dragged a hand over my face.

Her eyes locked on mine, and chills moved along my spine.

Savannah neared me and reached for the lapel of my jacket, but I dodged her and took a step back for good measure, my hands in front of me, to avoid her getting too close. Her gaze darkened.

“I wish you could hear yourself right now. You’re not my girlfriend. Believe whatever you want. I’m done being your provider. If you’re the best I can get, then there’s no hope for me. I’ll be single for the rest of my life if it means I’ll stop being unhappy from today. You’re like a poison that has made its way slowly through my bloodstream, Savannah. I won’t let you kill everything good in me. I’m out of here. For good.”

I strode toward the bedroom to grab more of my stuff.

“Hey Carter?”

I turned around to look at Savannah. The diabolic glint in her eyes shone brighter than usual. I cocked my brow.

What venom would she spew out next? With a straight back, I braced myself for another one of her rants.

“You’ll regret this. I’m telling you. If you think your life was hell, you’ve seen nothing.”

“Enough. Nothing you say affects me anymore. If I were you, I’d save my breath. You’ll need it later. Trust me.” She had no idea what was coming her way. I smirked at her furious expression.

Like I predicted, another high-pitch screech escaped her lips.

“You keep proving you’re a nutcase, Savannah. Come on. Feel free to make a fool of yourself.”

“Oh, you’ve seen nothing. You have no idea what I can do. I’m not ready to let you go, Carter. I want you. All of you. Nobody walks out on me. You hear me? NO-BO-DY.”