Chapter 24
OCTOBER 01 – WEDNESDAY 1:00 PM
R en
My hand moved over the canvas. The bold, contrasting colors captured the image better than I ever could’ve imagined. I swayed and hummed to the song on my playlist, loving the early birthday gift from Myles. My earphones wouldn’t hold a charge anymore, so he got me this amazing baby blue set. He really didn’t need to get me everything in blue, but the little snowflake stickers Blake had put on them looked amazing.
Swirling my brush around the red, I touched up the trees, loving the fall vibe. The trees always looked like they were on fire to me. It truly was my favorite time of year, and nothing else felt right. I’d started a portrait but found myself daydreaming of things I was trying really hard to forget, so I switched to this serene landscape instead.
It had been so long since I could take over the art room and find my peace. I’d forgotten how much I missed this. Raising my arms into the air, I wiggled and turned in a circle as I sang, using my paintbrush as a microphone.
“Cause when I’m in a room with you, that missing piece is found.”
Opening my eyes, I screamed as I spotted Nash leaning against the counter, staring at me. His mouth was pulled up in the smile that had suckered me in, along with so many others.
I pushed the headphones back so they hung around my neck as I glared at him.
“Oh, don’t stop on my account,” he said.
“Yeah, no. I’m not doing this.” Marching across the room away from him, I tossed my brush and palette into the sink. I’d circle back when he was gone to clean them.
“Princess,” he called out as I pushed through the door and out into the hall, where there was at least a smattering of students and teachers in classrooms. I knew he would follow me because he couldn’t leave well enough alone. “Ren, listen to me.”
“No. I have no interest in anything you have to say to me. Not now, not ever. Just leave me alone, Nash,” I snarled at him as I marched outside.
He grabbed my arm, and I twisted in a move he’d taught me to break his hold.
“Don’t touch me,” I hissed at him as I continued down the path.
“Then talk to me. You don’t understand, and I want to try and explain.”
“I’m pretty sure I understand. You were very clear. Everything you’ve ever said was nothing more than an act to have meaningless sex with me. I was an idiot for believing you might actually care, and oh yeah, I’m a mistake…no…a huge mistake. Did I leave anything out?”
“Ren….”
“What? No Princess? I guess you can cut the nickname, too, right? Just go away, Nash. You’ve managed to ruin my day off and the one place I find real happiness, so yay for you. Oh, and if you’re worried that I’m going to say something to the guys, I won’t. Your dirty secret is safe, but I’m pretty sure they already know you’re an asshole.”
He genuinely looked upset standing there. But that was the problem. I had no idea what was real or fake anymore, and I didn’t have it in me to wade through it right now. When he just stared at me, I turned and walked away.
“I’m sorry.”
I wheeled on him and stormed back. My hands balled into fists. “You’re sorry? What exactly are you sorry for?”
“All of it. Everything I said.”
“Saturday night or Sunday morning?”
“Um….”
“No, that’s not how this works. You didn’t just make a smart-ass remark or a stupid joke. Hell, you didn’t even act inappropriately and embarrass me. That’s child’s play in comparison to what you did.” I laughed, but it didn’t reach my eyes. “You targeted me, Nash.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“No, see, I’ll tell you what it was like. I gave myself to you, against my better judgment, and warning bells, and numerous flags. I stared into eyes that I finally trusted after a year of believing you were the worst human possible and thought I felt something real between us.”
“I felt the same.”
“Bullshit, you don’t feel what I did and do what you did. You told me once that you strive for peace, but I don’t think that’s true. I think you love the drama and the chaos. You wouldn’t know what to do without it. But I’m not like you, and I hate it. I’d managed to carve out a corner piece of happiness and stupidly thought that you were part of it. But you just can’t stand to see me happy, and I don’t know why. I don’t know what I’ve done to you, but it’s like you feed off my misery. Then again, you are Lawrence’s son, so I guess that apple didn’t fall far, did it?”
He crossed his arms and looked away, and I glanced around at the crowd, trying to hear our showdown.
My lower lip trembled, but I still refused to give him a single tear. Composing myself, I lowered my voice.
“You didn’t just hurt me. You tried to break me,” I said with my hand on my chest. “I opened up to you. I literally gave away a piece of my heart to a man I barely knew so you could have a shot at your dream, and you found a way to make me regret it. You chose to thank me for my kindness by making me feel the lowest I have since my mother died.”
Shaking my head, I took a step back.
“So no, you don’t dictate when we speak, how we speak, or anything else. I know you struggle with listening, but I really want you to hear this…don’t look for me, don’t talk to me, and don’t try to apologize for something that you’re not sorry for. Just leave me alone.”
“I can’t do that,” he said, grabbing my arm as I turned to leave.
This time, when I spun around, I slapped him across the face. My palm stung, but I’d never felt anything so satisfying in my life.
Nash’s head turned to the side, and he touched his cheek. He looked at me with eyes full of the same possessiveness I’d seen Saturday night. I didn’t understand him, and I didn’t want to keep playing his games.
“You’re mine, Princess. You admitted it. You gave yourself to me. I’ve claimed you, and I’m keeping you.”
“Claimed me? I’m not a dog at the pound. You can’t claim me. You’re delusional if you think that. I never belonged to you and will never, in any capacity, be claimed by you.”
I jerked my arm away just as Vicky came prancing up the walkway, her face all smiles.
“Oh, trouble in paradise. I guess you finally told her,” Vicky said, and Nash glared at her. “Thank God, it’s been so difficult keeping the secret to myself.”
“Not now, Vicky,” he growled.
Despite not really giving a shit what these two had cooking, I couldn’t seem to stop my curiosity. Who was I kidding? I was a sucker for punishment.
“Tell me what? I’m done disputing paint colors,” I said.
Vicky paused but wouldn’t be derailed now that she was racing for the finish line.
“Well, Nash didn’t want to make it public yet,” Vicky said, and I just knew she was going to say they were back together.
“Not now, Vicky,” Nash said and grabbed her arm.
He started dragging her away, but apparently, we both suffered from the same affliction. Her eyes lit up with malice that I felt to my bones as her lips curved into a maniacal sneer.
“Nash sighed a contract with my father. We’re getting married after graduation.”
A sharp ringing started in my ears as I stared at them, my eyes bouncing from Vicky’s overly happy face to Nash’s furious one. They were talking, but I couldn’t make out a single word.
Like cocking the hammer on a gun, it all clicked. The nod from Mr. Genovese to Nash, him telling me I was going to get him killed and practically begging me to kick him out of the room. I was the mistake, but not for the reason I thought. This was so much worse. I fell in love with the guy contracted to marry the one person I hated in this world, the Wicked Bitch of the West. It definitely explained the sudden influx of money for the club and the guards. He told me he had fixed the problem with his father and Vicky, but this never crossed my mind, and yet…it should’ve been my first thought.
The pain was so sharp that I looked to see if I had been shot, but for some reason—that I’d never be able to explain—I laughed. I laughed so hard that tears rolled down my cheeks, and I gasped for air.
When I glanced up, the two of them were looking at me like I’d lost my mind. Maybe I had because I sat down on the grass as the bursts of hysteria slowed and then started back up.
“Why the hell are you laughing,” Vicky finally asked, her arms crossed and toe-tapping on the bricks. I tried to answer, but nothing logical came out. “Fine, whatever. Laugh all you want, but by this time next year, I’ll be Mrs. Nash Collier.”
“Vicky,” Nash growled, and she looked at him. “Not a fucking word to anyone else, or I call your father right now.”
Vicky looked like she was about to throw a fit. “Fine, not another word,” she spit out, then shot me a glare before marching off with her nose firmly in the air.
Wiping the tears off my face, I looked up at Nash. He was rubbing the back of his neck and muttering under his breath. On some level, I pitied him.
Pushing myself up, I dusted off my coveralls and gave him my best fake smile.
“I hope you two will be very happy together. Have a great life, Nash.”
“Ren?” I glanced back. “I….”
“Save it for someone who cares.”
“Fuck,” Nash yelled as I walked away, needing to put as much distance between me and Nash Collier as I could.