Page 91 of Fake

I highly doubt that.

“And you didn’t think that by misrepresenting my every move, she made things worse for me? Not better! You know this! For fuck’s sake, Mina! I told you everything!”

Jesus Christ. Dom was right. Mina didn’t see me. She saw an opportunity to help her friend. What a sick joke.

“And I didn’t tell her all of it!” Mina stands, dragging the sheet off the bed with her. “Nathan, please…”

I back away from her outstretched hand. “Has any of this been real? Any of it?”

“All of it!” she cries, letting her arm drop to her side.

“And how am I supposed to take your word on that? Just when I let my guard down and started to think maybe the world wasn’t a shitty place filled with shitty people, I find out you’ve been lying to me this whole time. I stopped faking, Mina. I fell in love with you!”

“And I love you back!”

My heart clenches, begging me to stop retreating, to pull her into my arms because that’s where she belongs. But my heart is kind and easy to manipulate. It shouldn’t have a say in this situation. It’s time to start listening to my mind.

“Love doesn’t keep secrets.” My head bows from the weight of the truth. “Not like this.”

“Nathan…”

“I am so tired of being used so other people can get ahead. All I want is for someone to see me. Me! Not my money. Not my fame. Not what I can do for them.”

“I do see you, Nathan.” Mina frowns, her voice quiet, the desperation leaving her eyes as my voice rises.

“If you did, then you would have told me you were friends with Fallon fucking Mae. Even if it was hard. Even if the timing wasn’t perfect. You would have told me.”

“You’re right. I should have told you. And I really am sorry this is how you found out.” Her jaw tightens. Her eyes flash. “But come on. At this point, you know me well enough to trust I haven’t been using you. I mean, what am I getting out of this relationship?”

“Designer dresses? Invitations to galas you wouldn’t normally step foot into? Multiple fucking orgasms? Twenty percent over your design fee? Shit, Mina. When were you going to start working me so the foundation would take care of your mom’s medical bills?”

“Nice, Nathan.” Mina sneers. “You offered to buy the dress. You required I go to the gala. You initiated the orgasms. And you haven’t fucking paid me yet.”

“You asked for an advance.” I stab the air with my finger. “You cashed the check.”

We stare at each other for several terrible seconds before Mina finally breaks the silence.

“Do you know why I wouldn’t answer Fallon’s calls or texts?”

I swipe my underwear off the floor, step out of my pants so I can remove Mina’s panties and pull mine into place. It’s time to get the fuck out of here. “Not sure I care, but I’m positive you’ll enlighten me anyway,” I say, hunting down my pants, only to find them clutched in my fist.

“Fallon published that article yesterday because she knows I’m falling in love with you and had the balls to think telling the world how we started would help me see why that was a stupid idea. And after this—” she waves her hand in my direction “—I’m starting to see her point.”

“That makes three of us.” I sneer as I step back into my pants, tug the zipper up, and shove the button through the hole. “Everything about this was a mistake.”

“You won’t hear me fight you on that one.”

I snag my shirt off the floor and yank it over my head. Turn to Mina then realize there’s nothing I can say that will make this better. I trusted her with all of me, and she didn’t trust me enough to tell me the truth.

She’s been Blossoming me this whole time. Everything between us has been about Fallon fucking Mae and her blog.

The fact that I don’t quite believe it even though Fallon was here as proof enrages me.

“Tell me how much of this was contrived,” I demand, anger pulling me deeper into the room. “Was that text really an accident? The one that started everything? Or were you and your bitch friend plotting against me the entire time? Did you two dream this whole thing up to feed that cunt information for her stupid clickbait gossip bullshit?”

“Get out.” Mina stabs a finger at the door.

I step closer, tutting in disapproval. “Did you whore yourself out for clicks, HM?”

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