Page 110 of Nothing to Deny
“What?” she begged, cursing the alcohol for putting tears in her eyes. “What is it that you think I did? Conrad has the check, I wrote it before we left. And I told you the money was yours regardless of what happened on the vacation.”
Except nothing had happened on vacation. As in, nothing bad. They’d been fine before they left, for the car rides, the flight. She couldn’t understand where this was coming from.
“I don’t give a shit about the money. You can keep your check. Conrad gave it to me, I put it in your mailbox on the way over here. I don’t want it.”
Now she was even more confused. “When did this change? The guy in the back of the car, when we were alone, the guy who invited me to dinner… How did we get from there to here?”
“You put us here. What? It wasn’t enough that you paid all the past due bills—and my mom’s tab, you put the damn account in credit like you were doing us a favor. Did you think I wouldn’t figure it out? That I start dating a rich princess and it’s a magical coincidence my rent’s paid for the year, and the twins get accepted to some private school we never applied for, full tuition paid.”
What was he talking about?
“Freya?” Roxie touched the groove of her back. “Are you okay, honey?”
No, the room was spinning. “I don’t understand. How we got here… How we…”
Roxie guided her over to the bed practically barging Baer out the way. “Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. You should lie down. I’ll send the asshole away.”
“I’m no asshole,” Baer declared, offended. “She interfered. She went behind my back and tried to buy my family—”
“Oh, would you listen to yourself?” Roxie sneered. “You didn’t know her at all if you think she’s like that. She would never, ever go behind anyone’s back. She would open herbank account to anyone in a heartbeat, but sneaking around, manipulating, being underhand, sly—”
“Roxie—”
“No, he doesn’t get away with it. And you know what? I’m so damn pleased this has fallen apart now. God, do you have any idea what Zairn would do to this guy if he heard the way he’s talking to you right now? So, asshole, if I were you, I’d get the hell out of here and never breathe Freya’s name to anyone for the rest of your life. If you don’t, you’ll never work another day in the city, in this country. We’ll make sure people wouldn’t let you near enough to even shine their shoes.”
“We’re not like that. Roxie, we could never—”
“We don’t have to be like anything. Just because you don’t have a vindictive or scornful bone in your body doesn’t mean I don’t. I’m more than happy to ruin this asshole.”
The door burst open, interrupting the moment. Astrid. Slightly out of breath, fixated on Roxie, and a few shades paler than she’d been downstairs. Uh oh.
THIRTY-FIVE
“ASTRID?” Roxie’s concern matched what she felt. “What happened? Where’s Z?”
“On his way to wait for you in the car downstairs.”
“Car? Where are we going?”
Remaining a little winded, Astrid managed a smile, though there was trepidation behind it. “It’s Lilya.”
“Oh my God, it’s time? Time time?” Roxie’s excitement was more enthusiastic. “Is Jane already—”
“At the hospital? Yes.”
“I knew she’d get there first.” Roxie bounded a step away, then paused to spin on the spot, wide eyes pinned to her. “Honey—”
“I’ll be fine,” she said, broadening a smile. “You go. Go.”
“Want me to call Ballard to kick this asshole out?”
“No, we’ll be fine.”
“Okay, I love you.” Roxie rushed back to hug her and kiss her cheek. “Tripp won’t go far. And you already have Ballard on speed dial. If it’s not him, one of his guys will be around.”
“Now go, you don’t want to miss the main event.”
Roxie rushed out with Astrid, leaving her alone with Baer.
