Page 10 of Dissension

“Well, no. Not at this time. But he needs to answer some important questions, being the financial arm behind Paxton Brooker’sDark Mirage.”

Holy...oh, this isn’t good. Exhaling a shaky breath, Kara tries to force a weak smile to her lips. It comes off as watery and nervous.Great. “We intend to fully cooperate.”Dieter already knew this was coming.

“I’m sure you will,” Nick is drawling from his seat. He looks pleased with himself, like a giant cat that has beaten and bruised a mouse into submission between its claws.

I really want to flick that bastard off right about now. Throwing him out the window would also be satisfying.

Needing to escape the room, to escape those terribly knowing eyes, Kara flees out the door.

Honestly, seeing Nick again after all this time apart has been far too much.

As she’s walking through the city later, trying to clear her head of all the worries that have suddenly descended upon her, a painfully familiar number appears on Kara’s phone screen, bringing with it feelings of doom and heartbreak. Kara considers not answering, but that’s likely not an option, not after this encounter. The moment she picks up, his cultured voice snips through the earpiece, no polite greeting. "You have a lot of nerve, after ignoring me for months."

“I have good reasons for ignoring you, all of which you are aware of, Nick.” Not to mention the fact that she should have never been involved with him in the first place.

“I get it. I do.” For a moment he doesn’t sound so completely smug. “Can you stop with your twisted martyr routine and just…meet me somewhere? We need to talk and your woe-is-me wounded act is getting tiring.”

Well, Kara thinks he has a lot of balls to be calling her, what with that scorching accusation in the DA’s office. That and the secret fiancée business. Mostly that. "I'm busy, can’t talk."

A nasty little chuckle comes through the earpiece, accompanied by, "Busy until when?"

He’s being a pig. Absolutely. No doubt about it. Kara is under no illusion that heisn’twaiting for her to ‘get over’ the whole situation. He thinks it’s no big deal. It’s nothing to him. No feelings matter where he’s concerned. It’s insulting that he thinks she’s being the childish one in this drama.

Even if she dreams of him at night, she’s never going to tell him. He’s the last person on this planet that she should want in her life, especially after what he’s done to her in the past. Thereare good things they had together…andreally fucked upthings that shouldn’t be revealed in broad daylight.

The idea of even admitting to Bianca that she was sexually taken advantage of in a limo that night so long ago, and that she started a relationship with that very man soon after? Bianca would want to commit Kara to the crazy house. Despite the shame of it all, Kara doesn’t know how to detach herself from wanting him, the part of him that isgood.Which is a small part of Nick, but still.

She’s not just going to give in, even though her insides are all in a knot about him. The sick, twisted thing they had together? It can’t be replicated. There’s no one else that can ever replace him. “Regarding you? Until forever.”

His sneer is nearly audible through the phone. “Oh, is that so? Forever is a long time to hold a grudge. You’re being pathetically absurd.”

“I’m not being pathetic, nor am I being absurd. You’re just disgusting and I don’t want to see you anymore.” She needs to push him away, what does she have to say to make him forget her? He’s not healthy for her! “I realize that must be a foreign concept to a man like you, but it is what it is. Accept that I’mdone with you.”

I don’t want to be done with you, but you’ve made it impossible to stay. I can’t play ignorant.

He pushes at her more aggressively. It seems that seeing her in person has spun him up all over again. “You’re done with me? I don’t recall agreeing to that. We’re donewhen I saywe’re done. How about this Sunday?” His tone goes soft, persuasive. “I’ll take you out, sweetpea. The way youlike.”

It hurts, hearing him say the pet name that he’s given her. Like a thousand bee stings, all in her heart. Burning, aching, almost to the point of making her feel nauseous. The worst partof it is that he’s chosen Sunday on purpose, just to cause them to fight worse.

I wonder if he views this as foreplay? He probably enjoys all the anger and hate between us right about now.Kara doesn’t even want to think about what he’d be like in the bedroom, right at this moment. All that cold fire and vicious intent. All his anger at her leaving him in the dust.

Kara shivers, feeling a flash of heat in her belly, sick and unwanted. She’s a monster for even thinking about him.

This conversation is growing more uncomfortable by the second. Mainly, because heknowswhat happens on Sunday. He’s testing the water to see what her response is, to see if she’s been up to what he’s been assuming all this time.

Unfortunately for him, he’s partially correct on part of the matter.

Kara is torn between cringing and simply hanging up. Another part of her wants to hurt him, to dig the knife in under his ribs with her words. “I’m not available. Sorry.”

“Just come out with it.” His tone goes dangerously flat. “I already know what you’re doing on Sunday. Lying simply vexes me further.”

Twisting her lips uncomfortably, Kara says, “I’m not going to be in the city. I’m going out for the day.”

“That’s such a weak half-truth, it’s almost laughable. Try a bit harder.”

She’s going to burn for this either way. He’s already crucifying her in his head so she might as well just tell the whole truth. “Alright, you bastard.” A woman Kara passes by on the sidewalk gives her a scandalized look at her raised tone, but Kara isn’t hushing, not for anyone. “I’m going to a fucking polo match!”

“Oohh. Of course, you are.” His voice goes hard, angry. He almost sounds betrayed, like she’s the one that’s been doing allsorts of things behind his back, as if she’s the one that had some secret fiancé. “Because you’re screwin-”

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