“I don’t care about the money!”
“In return, it would be best if you would immediately vacate the premises—”
“Didn’t you hear me? I said I don’t care about the money!”
But Slade’s face remained merciless. “You’re the one who isn’t listening.”
“Slade, please—”
“I want you gone by today or I’ll have the authorities escort you out.”
“Bastard!”And she started to cry. “Bastard!”
She had shoved past him, her clothes clutched to her chest, and as soon as she entered the room, she frantically began shoving her things in her bag. Farica’s wake-up call began to play in the background – Gloria Estefan’s Words Get In The Way – just as she was zipping her bag shut, and the song made her start laughing and crying harder.
Words got in the way, alright, and they were words she would never, ever forget.
Farica tried to stop her from getting behind the wheel. “Let me find someone to drive you, please—”
“Stop pretending!” She pushed the other girl away. “I can see it in your face, and you’re wrong. Slade’s wrong. You’re all wrong. He loves me! And I’ll prove it! He’ll find himself missing me, and then you’ll all know! He loves me! I know he loves me—” She wanted to say it again. Again and again and again. But then she saw the look in Farica’s eyes…
And it was the same look Slade had on his face now, Penny realized sickly, and it had her crying out as all of the memories came rushing back. The pain. The emptiness. But most of all, the pity—
“Stop looking at me like that,” she screamed. “Do you think I still care?”
“Penny—”
“I saw you. I saw you kiss another girl—”
Slade’s lips tightened.
“Was she why you didn’t want me?” she demanded wildly.
He shook his head.
“You’re lying—”
“I didn’t even know her back then.”
“Who is she then? Your new wai—” She saw him stiffen, and it was like having her whole world crash all over again.
That girl…that girl…
“She succeeded where I didn’t—” Just the thought was unbearable, the pain making her feel like she was about to break into a million pieces, just like before.
“It’s not and never was a matter of succeeding or failing,” Slade said quietly, “and that you still think that way is why I knew your feelings for me aren’t what you think it is—”
SLAP!
“Don’t you dare—” Penny’s voice shook with rage. “Don’t you dare make it seem like you know my feelings. Because you don’t. You don’t—” And something in her snapped.
He saw her coming, had every chance to move and avoid her, but he did not.
She reached him. Slapped him again. Clawed at his face.
And he let her.
Because unlike all the other women that had thrown themselves at him, this girl hadn’t done the same thing because he was a billionaire. She had done so because he was Slade, just Slade.
He tucked her chin under his head.
It did help.
Her just being there…
The way another girl once told him she wanted to be there for him…
It hadn’t worked with Penny, but it worked now.