Page 82 of Falling for Them

“No!” Leo ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up even more. “I swear, I’m not engaged. My parents dropped this on me out of nowhere.”

“Out of nowhere? And you expect me to believe that? That an engagement to another person comes out of thin air?”

“Yes!” His voice cracked. “Because it’s the truth. My parents have been trying to get either me or Luca to marry Clara for years! Clara is a lesbian, for crying out loud!”

I studied his face, wanting so badly to see a lie there that would justify the anger and hurt coursing through me. But all I saw was desperation and sadness.

“Ryker is going to kill you.” I sighed and reached past him to restart the elevator. “You can’t let your parents dictate your life like this.”

Leo nodded, looking relieved that I was at least listening. “I know. I’m going to fix it.”

The elevator started moving again, and we rode in tense silence until it reached my floor. As I stepped out, I turned back to Leo. “I want to believe you, I really do. But this is a clusterfuck I don’t know how you’re going to fix, especially with Libby.”

The doors closed on his stricken face, and I headed to the front desk, my head and heart a mess.

Chapter 29

All Ryker’s Fault

Libby

Ishould have known better than to think for one second that I’d be able to trust anyone with my heart. I couldn’t trust my biological father, who left as soon as my mom was pregnant with me, or my own mother, who didn’t even try once he was gone. He’d broken her completely, and in turn, she’d broken me completely. If my own flesh and blood didn’t care, then how could I expect anyone else to?

As soon as the door shut behind Ethan, I let the tears fall, unable to hold it in anymore. I’d been so hopeful that the three of us would find some way to make things work, but even if the engagement announcement wasn’t real, how often were we going to have to deal with shit like this?

I needed to get out of there.

I quickly sent an email to Leo telling him I would be working from home, then closed my laptop. There was no reason I couldn’t work from home when all I was doing was administrative work with the budget.

Wiping my eyes, I shoved my things in my tote. Maybe trying to work today would be futile. I could go see a movie or wander around the city instead; anything to keep my mind off Leo.

I opened my office door and rushed out, but instead of the empty hallway I’d expected, I ran right into Leo.

“Libby.” Leo’s voice was strained as his hands came up to steady me.

“I’m taking the rest of the day off.” I tried to step around him, but he moved to block my path.

“Please, let me explain. My parents sprang this on me without warning.”

I looked up at him, seeing the desperation in his eyes. “That’s not even the only problem, Leo. We’re all over the internet apparently.”

His jaw clenched. “I know, and I’m so sorry. The pictures should be down by now.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that they were there in the first place.” I wasn’t sure if the rich had some secret way of removing all traces of a photo, but I doubted it. People took screenshots and saved images all the time.

“I should have been more careful. I’m used to being photographed, and I completely forgot to watch myself.” He ran a hand through his hair, which looked like he’d already done so about a hundred times.

“It’s only going to get worse, isn’t it?” I hugged myself, suddenly feeling very small. “And with the foundation and community center... we’re supposed to be working with kids. How’s it going to look when their program manager and executive director are splashed across gossip sites in compromising positions?”

“Kissing is not a compromising position.” Leo stepped closer, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. “I promise I’ll fix this. Allof it. The photos, the engagement announcement... I won’t let anything hurt you, Ethan, or the foundation.”

The sincerity in his voice made my breath catch in my throat, and I found myself wanting to believe him. Maybe we could figure this out and find a happy medium. Maybe.

The elevator dinged, and my eyes drifted past Leo to see who was arriving. My stomach dropped as a stunning woman in a designer suit stepped out. I recognized her immediately from the photos online—Clara Accardo, Leo’s supposed fiancée.

“Leo!” Her voice carried down the hallway, bright and cheerful. “It looks like we have a party to plan!”

I stepped back from Leo’s touch as if I’d been burned. “I can’t do this,” I whispered, watching as Clara approached us with her perfect runway-worthy strides.

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