Page 71 of It Must Be Love

"How do you know you're going to get hurt?" This woman was killing me with her honesty, with how she opened her heart up and just let me see what was inside. Had I ever had this with anyone in my life? Not my family, not any woman I'd been with, and not even my friends. Sure, Hayes was honest with me, but he wasn't vulnerable with me.

"I just know. Look at you and look at me. Once the novelty of me wears off, you're going to go back to being with people who fit in your world. I don't. I won't be the hostess with the mostest like Ann."

"How do you know what kind of hostess Ann is?"

She shrugged. "Kara talked about the parties she'd throw with you. How fancy they were and how Kara was learning from Ann to do that because it's important for networking. I'm never going to be that person. I don't know how to be, and I don't even want to learn."

I chuckled. "That's okay, I don't like parties all that much, especially in my house."

"But you had so many of them. I know because I babysat Magnus each time."

I should've invited her, I thought regretfully now. She was Nolan's sister. When Hayes's sister was in town from Chicago, she joined us. Same with Jackson's brother. Ann's cousins were at these parties and dinners. It wasn't some sort of exclusive group. And yet, Naya had never been invited. Nolan would have had to be the one to ask her to come over, but he didn't. Even before he had a baby, he didn't. She was always in the periphery, allowing him to live his life the way he wanted while she took care of things at him.

"Why didn't you come for any of these parties?" I asked.

"Why would I?" she countered.

"You're Nolan's sister. You've known all of us almost as long as he has."

"But not as well as he does."

"Were you never invited?"

"No."

"Even to your brother's house when he was entertaining?"

"That's when I had Magnus at my place."

I felt impotent anger surge through me. "Why did you allow Nolan to use you like that?"

She pulled away this time and set her glass on the short table next to the couch. "I'd like to go home now."

"No," I muttered. "Tell me why you let him use you."

"I want to go home," she said forcefully.

"Fine."

Chapter 25

Naya

Iwas furious with myself for allowing Amias to get close to me. I knew this is what would happen. He'd blame me for how I was being treated. Like it was my fault.

As soon as we were in the Range Rover, I let loose of my heartache.

"Have you ever asked Nolan why he uses his sister? Ever asked him, hey, how come your sister had to move across the country to take care of your father? Ever asked him, hey, why isn't your sister here for a party? He's your friend."

Amias had the decency to look uncomfortable.

"How come you didn't tell Ann to shut up when she insinuated I was Magnus's babysitter, and Darren had to step in to do that?"

"Naya—"

"I did what I could to take care of people around me. It's not my fault my brother is a douchebag. He's still my brother. I can't help it that my sister-in-law is a moron chasing after being another version of Ann so she and her husband can fit into the elite society you're from. I'm not allowing anyone to use me; I'm choosing to be there for my nephew. I chose to be there for my father."

I was livid and couldn't seem to be able to keep my voice down. This hadn't happened since the accident when I used to get angry about how my life was ruined. I'd learned to keep my emotions in check but apparently, my buttons were pushed.

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