But I didn’t.I couldn’t.Because he still wasn't being honest.
In a low voice, he said, "What, you think I don't care? Even now?"
"I don't know." I craned my neck to stare up at him. "Doyou?"
"YouknowI do." His jaw clenched. "But I'm done."
My eyes filled with unshed tears. The whole thing was so totally unfair. If anyone should be angry, it was me.
Why should Brody get to leave in a huff when I was the one who'd been wronged?
With a choked sob, I said, "Oh, for God' sake, why don't you just admit it already?"
By now, he looked on the verge of losing it. "Admit what?"
"The thing with the house." I gave him another pleading look. "I mean, come on. Youknowwhat I mean. Just tell me.Please?"
I held my breath and waited.
With a hard scoff, he said, "What? You want me to tell you I'm sorry? For what? 'Stealing' it?" He shook his head. "Well, I'm not. So deal with it. Or don't. Your choice."
I wanted to scream in frustration.He still wasn't getting it.Or maybe he just didn't want to.
Desperately, I tried again. "I don't think you stole it, not technically."
"Then whatdoyou think?"
"I think you cheated." I bit my lip. "Andmaybeyou lied, at least a little." There was no "maybe" about it, and the liehadn'tbeen small. But heaven help me, I still wanted to hear it from him.
With another scoff, he said, "Right."
"Oh come on, Brody. You seriously don't think you did?"
"You wanna know what I think?"
"What?"
"I think you're nuts." He shook his head. "Hell, Iknewyou were nuts. But I fell for you anyway." His mouth twisted as he said, "My mistake."
My breath caught. "You fell for me? Seriously?"
"It doesn't matter now, does it?"
"It would if you'd just be honest."
"Yeah? Well honesty's a two-way street."
I was openly crying now. I didn't want to, but I couldn’t seem to help it. "Alright, you want me to be honest?" I said. "I think you knew the house was mine all along, and you wanted to take it from me, because you hated me." I sucked in a ragged breath. "And maybe part of you still does."
My voice rose as I continued. "And here's the best part. If only you would've come clean, I was so stupid, I would've forgiven you almost anything. So who's the dumb-ass now?"
He looked at me for a long moment. As he did, I saw the unfiltered emotions flicker in his eyes – first pain and then so much anger, I fought a sudden urge to step back.
But I didn't.
Instead, I waited stubbornly for his response.
When his reply finally came, it was just a single word, spoken so softly, it might've been a whisper. "Me."
