“No, not really,” I cut him off.
“Twelve point eight million, Piper,” he says anyway. “Montgomery saw enough value in you to pony up almost thirteen mill to make you his wife. I know things didn’t turn out quite the way you were hoping, but you have to admit that I did a hell of a job with you. Thanks to me, you’re set for the rest of your life.”
“Thanks to you?Are you kidding me?”
I can’t do this anymore. All these months I’ve been holding in my emotions. Anger at my dad’s betrayal, guilt over lying to my mom and Nana and Cleo about my dealwith Nate, alternating bliss and agony over my feelings for him. Yes, I’ve known these past six months between us were meant to groom me into wife material. But dammit, why did he have to make it feel like there was so much more between us than just a teacher-student relationship?
“You put me through hell, Nate. If you want to be proud of the price you sold me for, then go ahead. But I’m not proud of any of this. I’m not proud that I had to auction myself in the first place. I’m not proud that I had to turn my body over to you just to qualify for the auction. I’m not proud that I developed feelings for you, even though you told me not to. And I’m certainly not proud of how you have emotionally wrecked me these last few months.”
He shakes his head, averting his eyes. “Any emotions you’ve developed for me are?—"
“My problem! I know that. You said it before. And Iamsorry that I fell in love with you,” I say miserably, my voice cracking. “I wish I never had. I wish I could take all those weeks and months of heartbreak back. I never should’ve wasted those emotions on you and I’m sorry you’re such a miserable human that you can’t reciprocate when somebody loves you.”
His smirk is ugly. “Oh, you’re going to psychoanalyze me? You think you know me?”
I spread my arms wide. “No! I’m not claiming to know you! Because you won’tletme. You don’t share anything about yourself that isn’t superficial. But I can gather, based on howthoroughlyandaggressivelyyou have pushed me away, that there is some deep psychological trauma in your past. Well, join the damn club. My father was a piece of shit. He was awful, horrible to my mother, and yet I am stillcapable of love. You can’t blame your past for the fact that you can’t be a decent person.”
“I’m not a decent person because I don’t love you?” he scoffs.
That shuts me up, but only because I’m boiling over with rage. Fuck him. There was a time, not so long ago, when what he just said would have thoroughly gutted me. But I’ve had enough.
“I know about the clause now,” I say slowly and clearly, “and I’m claiming my rights. I’mnotmarrying Archibald whatever his name is. And I sure as hell amnotmoving to California and leaving my mother and my Nana. But thanks for everything, Mr. Windemere. And you know what? In the end, I feel sorry for you. We could’ve had an amazing life together. If you weren’t such a coward.”
Unwilling to expend any more energy on him, I hurry to the apartment and gather the few things I have there. By the time I’m done, I have a small suitcase of borrowed things from Cleo and another suitcase of my own things. Any gifts from Nate are left behind, including the diamond necklace. My entire life, summed up in two suitcases.
Time for me to march the fuck out of here and never look back.
“You’re going to want to reconsider, Piper. Do you have any idea what you’re giving up?” Nate says from my bedroom doorway.
I turn to face him, giving him a death glare. “Yes, I do. But don’t worry, Mr. Windemere. I know how to land on my feet.”
Breezing past him, I get my coat and scarf on, pick up the suitcases again, and then make my way out the sidedoor. My Uber is already waiting outside the front of the brownstone, and I get in quickly while the driver loads my bags into the trunk. I refuse to look over my shoulder as we set off down the street and head into the traffic of the city. Pulling out my cell phone, I dial Cleo.
“Hey, lady. Long time no talk,” she says, sounding happy.
“Cleo? You wouldn’t have a spare room for me, would you? Because I’m kind of already on my way over.”
“Oh my God, Piper. Of course. Get your ass over here. I’ll make us a charcuterie board and see what kind of wine we have.”
“I love you,” I say, relieved that my best friend is ready and willing to catch me.
“Love you too. Let me go get our snacks ready. Just come on up when you get here.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course. Mwah.”
Blinking back tears, I end the call. Thank God for Cleo. I know I could stay with my mother, but she’ll baby me, and that’ll just make me crumble even more. Cleo will know how to keep my mood up and will completely understand when I want to be left alone.
I think back to what Nate said, about what I’m giving up. And yes, it’s a lot. I’m giving up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be taken care of in every way money can buy. But I won’t sell my soul in return. I might be flat broke forever, but I’m still going to work my ass off to make sure Nana is cared for. Somehow. Some way.
And I’m going to stay true to myself while I do it.
36
NATE
“So.When do we get to meet the girl?”