Page 58 of Lie With Me

The guards disperse, but Luca stays with us, fixing Tripp with a warning glare. “Strike one.”

Tripp nods in understanding as Luca walks away. Sidling up to him, I whisper, “You can’t act like a jealous boyfriend in here, youknowthat.”

“I can’t help it.”

“Then you have to stop coming here. This is myjob.”

“How would you feel if you saw me with someone else?” he snaps, angling his body into mine. “Wouldn’t you be pissed to see me flirting with another woman?”

“I’ll have to see it, eventually. This isn’t real, remember?” They aren’t the words I want to say, but I keep my true feelings buried beneath a flippant tone and unbothered profile.

Slowly, he nods. Huffing, he draws himself up and snaps, “So you keep saying. Maybe I should take advantage of my membership and book one of the other women for the night, then.”

His words are cruel even though he isn’t. Iknowhe’s trying to provoke me, to elicit some kind of reaction from me, but I can’t help the tears that prick my eyes. Quickly blinking them away, I shrug. “If you think that’s what you need to do.”

He lets out a disbelieving huff and walks away without another word. It takes me a minute to gain my composure, but when I turn to stop him, he’s already across the room, talking to a pretty brunette wearing black wings. She flashes him a smile and nods enthusiastically, leading him to the Dreamers wing.

He doesn’t even look back.

A sob catches in my throat, the tears from earlier coming back full-force as I watch them disappear. Imagining him doing anything with another woman has my entire body feeling like it’s being filled with cement, pulling me down with a crushing weight that makes it hard to breathe.

I barely make it into the changing suite before I break down in tears. It’s empty, so I’m able to have my mini-meltdown in peace. Grabbing my phone, I slide to the floor in front of my locker, ready tomessage Carmela and tell her I’m not in the right frame of mind to work. My fingers still over the home screen, though, as I see two messages light up.

Momma

I hate you, you ungrateful bitch.

Margo

I’ll be sending some dresses to Tripp’s for you to try for the party next weekend. I’m not trying to be overbearing. I just saw them while I was out shopping and thought you might like to see them. Don’t feel obligated to wear them.

Snorting, I ignore the one from Momma. Toggling to Margo’s, my heart pinches at the fact that even though she doesn’t like me, she’s still treating me better than my own mother. Quickly, I send her a reply.

Can you have them sent to Ginny’s instead, please? And thank you, that was kind of you.

Leaning my head back against my locker, I focus on my breathing and wipe the tears from my eyes. I’m a big girl—I need to act like it. I have a job to do. I can’t keep blowing off my responsibilities.

My phone dings, and I look back down at it.

Margo

Is everything okay between you and Tripp?

No. I just watched him go off with another Angel. Everything isnotokay.

Yeah, I just want Ginny’s opinion.

Margo

Oh, Ginny has excellent taste. That’s a wonderful idea. Speaking of taste, those pignoli cookies are divine! I called the bakery to make a few dozen for the party. My waistband isn’t particularly happy about it, but that’s what exercise is for.

“Are we friends now, Margo?” I utter dejectedly to the empty room, closing out of the messaging app without replying to her.

With a sigh, I rise to my feet and go to the full-length mirror to fix my makeup and the feathers on my wings.

“You’re a badass bitch, Len. You’ve come too far. Don’t let yourself fall for a man like him,” I whisper to my reflection.

If it could talk back, I’m sure it’d tell me,“Oh, you poor fool. You’ve already fallen.”

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