32. Chapter Thirty-Two - Twin Flame #3
No, that was unfair. It wasn’t like our relationship was a secret, and she didn’t need to hide her opinions.
“Tell me straight.” I narrowed my eyes. “What’s he hiding?”
She paused, her eyes flicking toward the classroom door even though it was clearly shut. Then she slowly pulled out her phone and turned the screen toward me.
A picture. It was Culver. Hovering over a beautiful blonde woman.
His hand was wrapped around her throat while she clutched both of his wrists, and even through the grainy darkness of the photo, I recognized the shape of him instantly.
The sharp line of his jaw. The dark clothes.
The unmistakable intensity in the way he leaned over her with his mouth pressed against her neck.
I couldn’t breathe for a second.
“I took this just a few days ago,” she murmured.
It felt like my heart dropped straight into my stomach, heavy and sickening, the realization slamming into me all at once that I was getting played…
completely fucking played by Culver Scarbrough.
While I’d been sitting there convincing myself he was different, he’d been out screwing around with other women like I was nothing more than another girl tangled up in his lineup, another temporary obsession he could charm and ruin whenever he got bored.
“How did you get this?” My hand tightened around the edge of my seat hard enough for my nails to dig into the material. “What? Do you stalk him?”
She gave me a flat, deadpanned look. “No. I do not have time for such trivial matters. I simply happened to see him while returning from gathering herbs for my family.” She paused, like she realized she’d never really spoken much about herself around me before.
“Regardless, I saw him, and my intuition told me to take the photo. It seems my intuition was correct. Ira, do not let him fool you. He is dangerous, and lying is his nature.”
And God, suddenly every conversation with Culver came crashing back into my head all at once.
Every dodged question. Every half-answer.
Every smooth little deflection wrapped up in charm and teasing smiles.
My thoughts spiraled violently, racing through every moment I’d let myself trust him, every time he’d looked at me like I mattered, like I was something precious, only for me to realize I’d probably just been another girl stupid enough to fall for it.
My chest tightened so hard it hurt. No way was I going to let him make a fool out of me like this.
I wasn’t going to become one of those girls who gave somebody everything only to get used up and discarded once the thrill wore off.
My pulse hammered wildly against my ribs, climbing higher and higher until it felt lodged in my throat, but really it was nausea rising fast and acidic, turning my stomach because I’d let myself believe him.
I’d let my feelings blind me so badly that I hadn’t seen what was right in front of my face the entire time.
Humiliation burned through me hotter than anger.
My skin flushed like I had a fever coming on, heat crawling up my neck and across my cheeks while tears welled up so quickly I couldn’t stop them before they spilled over.
“Ira…” Kiera’s eyes widened at once. “It is okay. You will be fine.”
“No.” The word broke out of me, sharp and shaking.
The professor stopped talking. I barely even noticed it happening until the room went silent and I realized everyone was staring at me.
“I can’t…” My voice cracked, breath hitching hard in my chest. “I won’t let this go.”
My gaze snapped toward the door, and after that everything blurred together. I barely registered grabbing my things and storming out, fury igniting so violently inside me it almost drowned out the heartbreak underneath it.
Fuck him.
If Culver wanted to act like some manipulative fuckboy out there kissing random girls while feeding me promises, then fine. I’d show him exactly what it felt like to lose me. I’d make him hurt the same way he’d just gutted me open.
My fingers shook as I yanked my phone out and typed out a message to Carter.
I want you.
Pick me up tonight.
I hit send before I could think twice.
I didn’t care if I regretted sleeping with Carter again.
Anything was better than sitting there drowning in the sick feeling while some man tore me apart from the inside out, especially a man who hadn’t even slept with me yet.
Shit, maybe that had been the game all along…
dragging me along slowly until I was attached enough for it to really destroy me.
God, I felt so fucking stupid.
Every warning I’d given myself came screaming back now. Don’t fall too hard. Don’t trust him so easily. Don’t let yourself become one of those girls who confuse obsession for love.
And still, I’d done it anyway.
Because Culver had gotten under my skin in a way nobody else ever had.
If I believed in soulmates or whatever all the spiritual girls online talked about, I would’ve thought he was mine.
But no. He was a twin flame.
Toxic. Consuming. Irreplaceable.
And I hated that most of all.