Page 113 of The Broker

Could he see how badly I meant it? How much lying and sneaking around had made me feel like shit? God, I wished I hadn’t been so scared and had talked to Noah, tried to convince him that we needed to tell my parents. At least then my father wouldn’t have found out in the worst possible way.

I pictured Preston, wearing a smug look as he reminded me that he’d tried to warn me.

“I am so tired of giving you chances, only for you to disappoint me time and time again.” The weary expression on my father’s face hardened. “You will end this, come home right now, and maybe—maybe—we can work through this.” He glared at the other man, like it was all his fault. “But if you choose him over your family...” He sighed. “Then, Charlotte, I guess we’re really done this time.”

Suddenly, I was back in my college apartment, standing between Zach and my father. I’d screwed up then, and my father had offered me a lifeline, but I’d been too stubborn and embarrassed to accept it. Unwilling to face consequences. But I wasn’t that same girl now, and—

Wait a minute. I blinked back the tears stinging my eyes.

I didn’t need a lifeline, because I hadn’t fucked up bad enough to require one. I’d lied, which was shitty, but I would apologize and make amends. Being with Noah wasn’t a mistake. And this ultimatum?

It was stupid.

This didn’t need to be an all or nothing scenario. Maybe I was a spoiled brat, because I didn’t understand why I couldn’t have both.

My father had said he didn’t want to hear me say this time was different—but God. It fucking was.

“Why do I have to choose?” I demanded.

“You don’t,” Noah said from his far-off spot where invisible chains had him imprisoned. “I... can do it for you.”

What the fuck? His expression was cryptic. Vacant. I didn’t understand—

Oh, shit.

It filled me with so much dread, my body ached with it.No, a voice in my head cried. Announcing I loved him had torn a rift between us, and with each passing second, the distance to him grew until it was vast and insurmountable.

“Wait,” I pleaded.

My father didn’t sense what was about to happen. Maybe he worried Noah was going to make some enticing offer and sway me to his side—or maybe he just wanted to twist the knife. “Think carefully about this. If you pick him, remember he’s currently unemployed.”

“We’ll stop seeing each other.” Noah said it like it was decided, a settled fact.

I’d seen it coming, but I gasped with shock anyway.

At the sound, he flinched. It was as if my pain was causing him pain, and his focus swung to me. God, his expression was fucking heartbreaking.

“I’m sorry.” His voice was uneven. “But you and I both know this is the right call. I can’t let you blow up your life over,” he searched for the right word, “an infatuation.”

I crossed the other arm over my stomach, trying not to double over.Infatuation? Was he fucking serious? I wasn’t just wounded by his words—I was betrayed.

He knew I didn’t sleep with someone until I cared deeply about them, and we’d been sleeping together for more than a month. Add on all the months leading up to that, all the times we’d talked, and kissed, and fooled around...

“How can you think this is just an infatuation?” A tremble worked its way up my legs, and my eyes widened in realization. “Oh, God. Is that how you see me? Just some foolish, lovesick little girl?”

My father disappeared from existence. It was only Noah and me, standing in this room with the great divide between us. His face was full of regret, and I hated it so much, I could barely look at him.

“I told you,” he sounded so fucking small, “I don’t have time for love.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do.”

And the scary thing was, he believed it.

But I was so tired of hearing that bullshit and my anger swelled until it became icy cold. “That’s fine,” I snapped. “I was fine with waiting for you, but you can’t get mad at me for falling in love with you in the meantime.”

Finally, his feet were no longer rooted to the ground, and he took a step forward. But it felt much too little, too late, and I backed away in response. He put a hand out to try to calm me, as if to saysteady.

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