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I raise my head and stand tall, waving away the snub with a slight flick of my wrist.
“No worries.”
Eager to get away from me, he nods and spins on his heel, slamming the door behind him in his hurry.
I am alone.
Again.
Grateful he’s gone, I sag and hug myself. A lump I haven’t experienced in a really long time burns in my throat. Being let down has happened so many times I shouldn’t be surprised. But I am. I was dumb enough to fall for Titan’s promises.
Damn it.
Iknewbetter.
I should never have let Titan get to me.
Just like I said before—he doesn’t control me. I refuse to cry because of him. I move just as quick as his henchman he sent to do his dirty work and race up the stairs as fast as my wobbly feet can go back to Chelsea’s room. Yanking the pins from my fancy updo, I let the strands fall in messy waves down my back.
No sense pretending anymore I’m something I’m not. I’ll get Pete and my stuff and figure out how to get the hell out of here. This time I really need to go.
I knock on her door but go ahead and turn the knob since I know she may not be paying enough attention to answer. If my chest didn’t ache like a fool, I’d laugh at the crazy scene in her room. She sprawls on the carpet in her twenty-thousand-dollar dress surrounded by piles of other expensive clothes with Pete sitting between her outstretched legs, patiently allowing her to attach a black bowtie around his neck.
To go with his tuxedo.
What the hell?
He doesn’t seem to mind how ridiculous he looks. Especially with Chelsea murmuring sweet words to him while she loves on him.
That’s what hurts the most. Pete’s so happy here, and I’ve let him down again. I was too stupid not to realize everything was just a lie.
Except I guess for Chelsea. Even if she isn’t my sister-in-law, she’s still my friend. The only one I’ve ever really had. The one I never expected to have. I suck in a deep breath and try to sound calm. “Hey. Our plans got cancelled so I’m just going to get Pete out of your way and head back to my room so you can go out with your friends.”
Her head whips in my direction so hard strands of hair crash into her face. Scarlet explodes across her cheeks as she jumps up. The physical resemblance between her and Titan intensifies when she’s angry.
“God my brother is such an idiot.”
“Yep.”
Unable to agree any more than I already do, I reach for Pete’s collar. He steadies me like no one else can. He’ll help me get past this, and we’ll return to normal. Back to poor and lost and lonely because at least none of those hurt as much as this. “Have a good time!”
She grabs my free hand and tugs me toward her. All of her fury evaporates, and she smiles a reckless grin at me. “Come with us. It will be so much fun!”
Like the wild woman she is, she shrieks, claps, and hops up and down. Her enthusiasm is contagious to Pete, and he spins around, barking and jumping too. Anymore, he’s as nuts as she is. “Thanks, but I don’t think so. I just want to hang out here.”
Her hands steeple in prayer. “Please? There’s this guy I want you to meet. He’s the DJ and an artist and Titan will hate him but he’s so talented and I…”
Suddenly, she jerks up the hem of her dress and points to a tiny blue butterfly on her upper thigh. “He gave me this! Isn’t it awesome? He calls me his butterfly!”
Oh shit! Titan is going to kill her. Seriously, he’s going to kill this guy. I clench my eyes shut. I know now why her brother is always massaging his forehead. “Did you sleep with him?”
“No!” Her face lights up, and she covers her mouth while she giggles. “But he did eat me out after he gave me my tattoo. It was so good, and I had my first orgasm. I wantthatagain!”
She swoons from the memory while I try to bleach the image from my brain. And try not to think about her brother doing the exact same thing to me. Titan’s a bastard, and this guy probably is too. Just using Chelsea for her money or her innocence or her connections.
Oh no! My stomach churns. What if this man is trying to get to him through her?
I can’t stand the thought of her being in danger. “Okay, I’ll go for a little bit and meet him.” I glance down at what I once thought was the most beautiful dress in the world. “But I can’t wear this.”
