"W-What are you saying?"

Thornton had never thought it was possible to love a woman and wish to strangle her at the same time."You bitch."He hadn't thought she could be this cruel, but she had to be, the way she was forcing him to spell things out.

Blake couldn't believe what Thornton had just called her. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," he snarled.

"You called me a bitch?"

"Aren't you?" Only a bitch would dump a man and still want him to declare his fucking love for her.

"You..." Blake was momentarily speechless, unable to believe that she could feel so miserable and furious at the same time. "You're calling me a bitch?"

"Do you want me to say it again—-"

She slapped him. "How dare you?"

Thornton's jaw clenched.

"I'm a bitch because I had enough self-respect to end things? Is that it? I'm a bitch because you could no longer play with my feelings—-"

"What the fuck are you talking about? I was never playing with your feelings—-"

"Stop lying," she cried out. "I know the truth, remember?"

"I know," he roared back. "So if anyone's playing..."

Thornton stilled.

This...wasn't making sense at all.

"The truth..." He looked at her. "What truth are you talking about?"

"Don't treat me like an idiot! I may be poor—-"

"Fuck!"

Blake let out a gasp.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck."Thornton's head was reeling.

Blake couldn't help jumping back when Thornton's dark gaze suddenly swung towards her.

"The truth you were talking about..."

Blake stiffened.

"It's about me being...rich?"

Blake only stared at him, but the look in her eyes spoke volumes.

"Baby..."

"Don't call me that."

"Why not?" Thornton's voice was strangely uneven. "When it's the truth?"

She started shaking her head. "Please, Thorn—-"