Page 104 of Tony

“What?”

“The laundromat, Tony! That was the job those fucked-up FBI people gave me. They made me the manager of the laundromat!”

“That’s not a bad job,” Soshee says. She looks at me and shrugs. “I’d be down with running a laundromat.”

“I am an artist, Soshee. Or at least I was until your new boyfriend here ripped my life in two.”

“Jesus Christ,” I say. “You’re being dramatic, Ros—”

“Do not. Fucking call me. That name.”

“Calm down. I was going to say Rosalie.”

Her whole face goes bright red. Like she might explode before my eyes. And I seriously have a little moment of worry that she’s going to have a stroke.

But she doesn’t have a stroke and she doesn’t explode.

She begins to cry.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR - BELINDA

First, my face goes burning hot. Then my whole body begins to tremble. And then the tears are there, welling up inside my eyes in great pools. The next thing I know they are falling down my cheeks.

I’m not making any sound. This is how it is with the rage tears. They are silent.

“Fuck,” Tony says. “Look, I’m not here to ruin your day and make you cry. I’m here—”

“Oh, no,” I say, putting up a hand. Then I point to my eyes. “Do you think”—I laugh—“do you think these are for you? These tears are not for you!”

Tony’s chin juts back in surprise. “Of course they’re for me. You do it every time.”

“Every… what? What are you talking about?”

“When we fuck. After we fuck, I mean. You always cry. Because I’m such a disappointment, I guess.”

I laugh and direct my gaze over to Vann. “Can you believe this shit?”

He looks slightly bewildered and unsure of what’s happening. It’s a cute look on him. But I’m in the middle of something. And not even the charming, handsome, perfectly-shaped jawline of Vann Vaughn is going to distract me right now.

Because I’ve been waiting for this moment. This, right here, right now, is exactly what needs to happen.

Tony Dumas needs to be set straight.

I point at him and take a step forward. Vann steps in, probably thinking I’m going to punch Tony in the teeth again, but no. I’m under control now. Because this asshole ex of mine thinks my tears were about him.

“You would think that,” I say. “You would think those tears were about you because you’re a self-centered jerk. You think the whole world revolves around you. I did cry after we had sex. Every single time. But I just want to make this very clear. I wasn’t crying over you, Tony. I was crying for me. I was disgusted with myself for having sex with a man who threw me away like trash.”

“I didn’t throw you away!”

“Is that the only part you heard?” I laugh. “Why am I surprised? I shouldn’t be. You never loved me, Tony. And you didn’t come here to hate-fuck me out of your head. The fact that you tried to pull that bullshit on me—again—just proves what an asshole you are.”

“What are you talking about?” He bellows. “I certainly didn’t come here to… woo you!”

“Woo me?” I guffaw. I’m talking full-on throw-my-head-back guffaw straight up at the ceiling. “Shut the fuck up, Tony Dumas.” Then I look at Soshee. Her eyes go wide, like she’s not sure she wants my full attention. “Look, Soshee, we probably got off on the wrong foot because you were in like with Vann and he was in love with me this whole time.” Vann grins pretty big at that. “And I get it. I totally understand what it feels like to be in like with someone who doesn’t feel the same way back.” I glance at Tony as exhibit A. “And Vann Vaughn is a fucking catch and a half, OK? He is. This man?” I point to Vann. “He’s the real deal. He’s everything you want in a boyfriend. He’s considerate, he’s honest, he’s thoughtful, and yeah, he’s hot as fuck. But he’s more than that. Vann is patient and even though he comes from a family of tatted-up bikers who won their now falling-down mansion in a poker game fifty years ago, they stick together. They have each other’s back. Do you know there’s a whole wall on the second floor of their house that chronicles fifty years of family?”

I point at Tony. “This one? No. Nuh-uh. Run, Soshee. Run away from this one as fast as you can. Because he’s an illusion. He’s not patient. He’s not considerate. He’s not honest and even though he’s nice to look at, there’s a whole lot of ugly hiding underneath.”

“You don’t even know me,” Tony objects. “You’ve been gone for eight years. I come from a good family. We definitely have each other’s backs! So fuck you—”