Chapter 13
What the hell is he doing here?
I truly didn’t expect him to make a move right now—not for the next two years at least. What’s his angle?
Of course, Rob knows I attend Rothford, but that doesn’t explain why he’s come. And how the hell did he even find my room? I didn’t even tell Mother the exact room number—and she didn’t ask.Someone at the faculty building must have tipped him off. Maybe Ari’s pretty blonde cousin? She wouldn’t have been hard to bribe.
Unless I’m being watched a lot closer than I expected to be. I shift uncomfortably.
“That’s unexpected,” I say soberly, biting back what I truly want to say.
I can’t stand him, and he knows it, but we don’t display the extent of our contempt for each other openly.That wouldn’t be the polite thing to do now, would it? And we’ve both been raised to only ever show the world our smiles.
His lips stretch over his teeth, but I wouldn’t call it a smile. “Can’t a man visit his fiancée?”
Oh, for the love of…
Breathe in, breathe out. He’s just trying to get a rise out of you.
I repress a groan, biting back insults again. If I’m rude, it’ll get back to my mother. I’d rather not deal with the backlash.
“You could have called before showing up.” I barge past him to walk into my own room, jaw tight. “I’m busy, you know.”
Once he’s out of the way, I see that Ari’s there, seated behind her desk, and so is Sebastian, leaning on the wall, right between my side of the room and my roommate. They’re both watching us curiously, and no wonder. I never mentioned a fiancé to them.
Because I don’t have one.
Great. Now I have a damn audience for this mess.
“Clearly,” Rob says, shutting the door behind me. “Did you buy anything nice? I thought you weren’t fond of shopping.”
I freeze. Shit, shit, shit.
He’s tight with Mother, and there’s very little doubt that she’s behind his surprise visit. He’s here to watch me and report back. Fuck, I should have expected impromptu visits.Planned better for them. But as usual, they’re a step ahead of me.How stupid I was to believe that just using cash would be enough to gain a degree of freedom.
I stand here like a deer caught in headlights. I can’t show him my shopping. And when I refuse to, Mother will call, demanding to see it. To know why she hasn’t seen any transactions. Crap. I’m so screwed.
I’m shocked into speechlessness when for the first time in my life, I’m rescued.
“Nah, that’s my stuff,” Ari says. “Thanks for picking it up, Tia. I really didn’t have time to pop into town today.”
My absolute panic must have been obvious for her to blatantly lie to cover for me, but thankfully I was facing away from Robert, so I doubt he saw it.
Ari crosses the room to grab the bags, and start to put them away in her wardrobe, as if it’s the most natural thing to do.
I clear my throat. “Err—you’ve met Ari and her boyfriend…”
I’m about to say Sebastian, but he beats me to it. “Keller.”
That gets a raised eyebrow from Robert. “As in, Keller-Goltz?”
He shrugs. “Just Keller. My aunt’s the Goltz.”
“I see.” He nods, his entire demeanor changing, switching to look, I’m important too as he offers his hand. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My father’s handled some of the mergers from your family’s fashion brand.”
Sebastian couldn’t give less of a fuck if he tried, I can see it.Still, he deigns to shake Rob’s hand once, before turning back to Ari. “Shall we get back to the dress dilemma, sweet?”
“Please. The red one’s a bit on the nose, don’t you think?”
“Red suits you, though.”
“The blue’s classier.”
“Since when were you into classy?” he challenges with a chuckle.
I try not to throw up at their syrupy sweetness. I should be used to it by now, really, but I’m just not. Not when he can turn to me and smirk in a way that makes me shiver all the way to my core the next moment, while she’s looking.
Ugh, I really, really don’t want to be the other girl, or part of a throuple, but if he offered, would I actually resist?
An image crosses my mind then. A threesome, like that first night, except Ari’s sitting on his face while I ride his cock and?—
No. I don’t want that. And I definitely don’t want my panties to be soaking while Robert is in the room. That’s just yuck.
“Dresses?” I prompt, and Ari lifts two gorgeous gowns from her bed.
The red one’s a plunge neckline with sequins all along the hem, and a long, curve hugging mermaid cut. I could never even think of wearing something like that. On Ari, it’ll likely look hot. On me, it would be freaking obscene.
The blue one’s indeed a lot more sober; while short and backless, it has a boat neckline and a puffy skirt.
“What do you think?” Ari asks me.
I’m about to tell her either would look great, when Robert snorts. “That’s obvious, isn’t it? Only one doesn’t look like it belongs to a tramp.”
Oh no he fucking didn’t, the utter dick.
I don’t miss how, while ready to kiss Sebastian’s ass, Robert was blatantly ignoring Ari, until given the opportunity to insult her.
I. Hate. Him.“The red. Definitely wear the red,” I tell my roommate, before turning back to the jerk. “Well, as pleasant as this visit is, I have plans, so you can’t stay. Maybe send a text next time.”
So I can make sure I’m not here.
“Plans?” Robert asks, amusement and disbelief obvious in his tone.
And no wonder. I rarely ever have plans which aren’t made for me. Plans my mother doesn’t know of. And if she told him to come here, which I don’t doubt, she thought my agenda was clear.
Which to be fair, it is.
“I came all the way to surprise you,” he drawls. “Surely you can include me in your plans. I’d love to see how you’re spending your time.”
And who I’m spending it with. The subtext is clear: he’s here on a spying mission for Mother Dearest, and won’t be deterred.I could have guessed as much without a hint.
So much for a fake social media account and spare wardrobe. I’m as shackled as ever, and they want me to know it.
“I’m afraid I can’t,” I say as pleasantly as I can manage.
I just refuse to let her, him, them bully me into playing house with Rob again. Not when I know what he’s truly like.
Besides, my tuition is already paid for the semester, and so is André’s. She can’t threaten to pull either of us out of school immediately, and she won’t do it for a small reason like that. I have to pick my battles, and I’m fairly certain this one is one I can win.
“That’s my fault, actually,” Sebastian cuts in before I think of an excuse. “I only had one spare ticket.”
I owe him and Ari a damn bouquet after this. They both jumped onto the Fuck Rob wagon without hesitation.
“Ticket to what?” Robert pushes, clearly not taking the hint that he’s unwelcome.
Thankfully, Sebastian has answers for everything. “Charity gala tonight. We’re raising money to build a ramp to increase accessibility in the less fortunate part of town. Hestia has been instrumental to the efforts; she simply can’t miss it. My mother would be devastated.”
He manages to say all that with a straight face, speaking so naturally even I believe him. With a bit of luck, Robert isn’t going to ask me anything about my supposed instrumental efforts.
“I see. Well, you’ve always been very good at that sort of thing,” he grumbles reluctantly.
In actual fact, I’m the opposite of good at socializing, so helping with fundraisers has been a fucking ordeal, but it’s true that my mother has made me do it for most of my life.
“I’ll call next time,” Robert continues, no doubt lying. He much prefers making me squirm. “But it’s really good to see you’re making connections, Tia darling.”
He steps into my space and bends to kiss me. I quickly deflect it, turning my face at the last second. What the hell is that all about? He’s pissing all over my shoes, marking his territory, which is ridiculous.
I took care of Robert, for the time being at least. The entire world knows we’re not together. And sure, I might have told my mother that we’d reassess our relation after college in a few years, but that was only to weasel out of her grasp. I’ll never let Robert touch me again.
“Say hello to Chrissy for me,” I chirp, returning to the door to open it wide. “You’re still with her, right? She’s such a sweetheart.” My tone is as sweet as peach tea.
“Chrissy’s temporary. We agreed to get back together after you’re done with law school and I’m done with my MBA,” he reminds me, daring me to deny it, challenge him.
That’snot a battle I should try to fight now. Not if I want to win it in the long run. “Yes, well, as neither of us are done, do give her my best. Bye, Robert.”
He lingers at the door, turning back toward Sebastian. “Where did you say the gala was taking place?”
“I didn’t,” he replies smoothly. “But it’s at the Goltz estate up on the hill. Very private.” To my shock, he hands Robert his phone and produces an elegant black invitation with silver lettering. I peek over his shoulder and see that it’s indeed for a gala taking place tonight.
“If it weren’t last minute, I’d try to invite you, but well, it’s too late.”
What are the odds? I suppose the best lies stay close to the truth.
“Nice. I’m guessing that’s not the kind of place one can gate-crash.”
“Not unless you want to be escorted out by aggressively unpleasant characters, no.”
Robert chuckles, his smile not reaching his eyes. “Oh, well. Next time. Take good care of my fiancée.”
That word again. I just can’t take any more of that crap. “Robert, I seriously doubt your girlfriend would appreciate you calling me that. Now, have a delightful evening, and please do call ahead next time my mother sends you to do her dirty work.”
He stares at me, gray eyes wide. He’s never heard me talk back like this. Back home, I never had a chance.
“You agreed to marry me after college,” he repeats. “That makes you my fiancée.”
No, that makes me someone with a sense of self-preservation.
I breathe deeply in and out. “Have a lovely drive back to LA.”
He takes the hint, and finally, finally leave. I slam the door shut at his back with a groan.
“Fucking asshole!” I quietly hiss, glaring at the white wood.
I don’t remember that I’m not alone until Ari clears her throat. “Err, my friend, you’re going to have to pour the tea.”
I sigh. I guess I can’t really leave them hanging after that.
Ari takes it upon herself to brew some actual tea while I do my best to explain.It’s the least I can do, given that both of my new friends have come to my rescue.
I’m going to explode if I don’t talk about it all with someone, and Tanya has a show tonight.
“So, I come from a bit of money,” I confess.
She feigns shock. “No! Really? I’m so surprised.”
Rolling my eyes, I continue. “And well, the thing is, my mother didn’t. When my father passed a few years ago, she expected to inherit the majority—everything except my trust—but it turns out, with my big brother disowned, I’m the sole beneficiary of the will. He only gave her a few properties here and there—peanuts, in the grand scheme of things. And she’s tried to get hold of the rest since.” I grimace. “Robert is her contingency. He’s the son of her friend and lawyer. The way my grandfather’s will is worded, if I’m married, the management of my money falls to my husband. I…think she’s close to Robert’s father. They intend to get their hands on my money through him.”
“And you’re going along with that because…?” Ari asks.
Before I can explain, Sebastian guesses, “She doesn’t have a penny until she inherits. Your mom’s managing your assets now, right?”
“If it were just me, I’d manage somehow—get a job until I hit twenty-five when I get control—but I have a little brother. Half brother,” I amend. “From my father’s side. Illegitimate, and not eligible to inherit money, but he’s…vulnerable. I step out of line, Mother cuts André off.”
Ari groans. “That fucking sucks. And that Robert dude is just so…” She shivers. “Cringe.”
I nod empathically, in complete agreement.
“Wait, are you safe? If we’re talking a lot of money, would they harm you to get to it?” she asks, frowning.
She’s pinpointed one of the many reasons I was so eager to put some distance between Mother Dearest and I.
“I am,” I assure her, nodding. Ari and Sebastian exchange a dubious glance, so I repeat, “Seriously, I’m entirely safe. If anything happened to me now, my share would likely revert to my grandfather, go to my uncle, or even to my brother, despite Father disowning him. The only way Mother can hope to control it is through me.”
“What about once you’re hitched to that shit stain, huh?” Sebastian demands. “Will you be safe then?”
They’ve come to the right conclusion a lot faster than I did.
It took me overhearing my so-called boyfriend laughing about throwing me in the ocean on our honeymoon for it to hit home.
“Well, no.”
If I ever marry Robert, I’m dead. I don’t spell it out, but by the hard look in Sebastian’s eyes, he knows it.
“I see.” Sebastian stares at me for a long while, before clearing his throat. “Ladies. I’d better leave you to get ready. I’ll pick you up at seven. I have some things to take care of until then.”
“Wait, get ready for what?” I frown.
“The gala.” Before I can protest, he argues, “Are you telling me no one’s going to check the alibi we just gave to get rid of lover boy?”
Ah. He has a point.
“Seven,” Sebastian repeats on his way out. “Don’t be late.”