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Daniel points his finger at me. "There's nothing you can say that will make me see this situation any differently. Literally nothing at all. We're through. You're a disgusting fucking slut. Here I am asking you to move in with me so we can take it to the next level. I tell you my ex-fiancée had an affair with my best friend, and here you're doing fuc
k knows what with God knows who behind my back? Would you have brought men to my house?" He pales and rakes a repulsed gaze down my body. "Holy shit. Have you been tested? I bet you're a walking STD."
"Daniel, please. It's nothing like what you're imagining, trust me. It's just sex that doesn't mean anything."
"What about her father? Huh? If you can throw your best friend under the bus, I can only imagine what you'd do to me."
I avert my gaze to the floor.
"That’s what I thought. I want nothing to do with you ever again. I regret meeting you. I wish I hadn't pursued you. I thought you were different. There was a light about you, but who knows. Maybe you were playing me the whole time. Have a nice fucking life, you despicable, pathological lying, fucking piece of trash."
Daniel storms out the door, slamming it behind him. I stare for a moment in a state of disbelief. Natalie makes a clicking sound under her breath. I look at her and wonder where we go from here.
The blow is devastating. I knew my risks when I took them, but I didn't expect an impact of this magnitude. I thought I would be done with James before Natalie could find out. I'm sickened over my actions, too blinded by the hush money and all I've never had. I blink a few times trying to wrap my head around all of this. I just lost my boyfriend, and my best friend, in a matter of an hour.
"I hope you're happy," I say.
"Oh, I'm only just getting started."
Fifty-Eight
"I'm sorry to see you leave," Madam Christine says, sitting behind her desk. "Are you sure it's what you want? We could put you on a freeze until you're ready to come back."
I hesitate, even though I know what I need to do. Working for Sanctuary Cove has done nothing but cause problems. Problems caused by my greed.
"Is it wrong to say yes and no?"
She offers a small smile. "It's hard to walk away from easy cash like this. You'll never make it anywhere else. Why do you think I'm still here?"
"Yeah," I say under my breath. "Isn't that the truth."
"You're welcome back should you change your mind."
I swallow and thank her. "I don't think I'll be back, but thank you." I reach into my purse and grab my work phone. I slide it across the table.
"Thank you," I say again and stand, then walk toward the door. I pause with my hand on the knob and turn around. "Did you know that James is Natalie's father?"
Her lips curve just slightly. "Of course I did. You were everything he wanted, and I was happy to make the money. I knew it the moment I met you and was eager to set you guys up. I thought I was going to lose him as a client because no one was satisfying him until you came around. He nearly lost it when I told him you were unavailable."
I just nod my head. I can't even be mad. Not after I stooped so low to make money, too. I'm not any better.
Walking out of the club for good, I step onto the street, my gaze immediately looking in that dingy corner for the woman who’s always resting there. She’s not there, and while I'm relieved, I also can't help but wonder if she’s okay.
I walk down the street to the nearest train station and take the next one to Queens. It's only been two weeks since I lost Natalie and Daniel, the longest fourteen days of my miserable life. I haven't bothered calling Daniel to attempt to fix things. I knew he wouldn’t answer my calls, and I knew that nothing I had to say would matter anyway.
Natalie, on the other hand, is a different story.
I've tried talking to her multiple times. She won't give me the time of day. I don't blame her, but I had hoped she'd give me a chance. "You're still here?" is all she ever says and walks away.
She’s made it very clear she wants me to move out. Now that school is over and graduation is around the corner, I'll start looking for a place to rent. I couldn’t focus on that and packing, final exams, and attempting to reconcile things with Natalie at the same time. It was too much on top of stressing over Grammy. I've barely been able to handle anything else.
Taking a seat on the bus, my phone vibrates in my pocket. My stomach tightens, hoping it's Natalie since Grammy knows I'm on the way to her house. I pull it out and read the screen.
"James," I say under my breath. I've missed him so much.
I stare at the Blocked Caller flashing across my screen. I haven't answered one of his calls since that awful day. I want desperately to slide my thumb across the screen, but I don't…and I won't.
I decline the call and pocket my phone as the bus comes to a stop. I get off and make my way toward Grammy's house and let myself in. Something feels off, but I can't place what until I step in further. Cats. I smell soiled cat litter, which is not something Grammy would've ever allowed.
