Page 187 of How to Win the Girl

I nod. “I know.”

“You knew?”

“Yes.”

“But did you know we were sleeping together?”

No, I did not.

I suspected it, of course, but everyone has a past, and I wasn’t going to judge him for his—unless he was sleeping with her while he was sleeping with me and lying about it…

So many things pop into my brain. When was the last time they had sex? Did he say the same words to her that he’d said to me? Did he make her the same promises? Had he asked her to be his girlfriend?

Was he cheating on her with me?

Or was he cheating on me withher?

“Don’t you have anything to say? Your boyfriend is fucking me.” She looks triumphant—her words stabbing me in the heart, and the back, like a knife.

“I am not fucking you,” Drake grinds out, gritting his teeth.

“But isn’t that what you called it when you came to my house last night? Fucking?”

“Oh my god, I was not at your house last night,” Drake shouts back at her. “Enough.”

Shannon laughs. “Oh—so you didn’t come over last night.” She rolls her eyes. “Gotcha.”

If Drake’s look could kill, she would be a dead woman.

“You know I didn’t go to your house so we could have sex.”

Her laugh is positively gleeful. “So you admit it. You were at my house last night.”

“Dammit, Shannon. Why are you doing this?”

“Because it’s not okay to use me. You’re only dumping me because you don’t like complications. Everything would have been fine as long as I don’t develop actual feelings.”

It’s not okay to use me…

“Dumping you would imply that we were dating, and we weren’t. Stop twisting everything around.”

But he had gone to her house last night. He just spoke the words out loud for me, and everyone, to hear.

Knife, twist in back….

I drop Drake’s hand, not needing the contact—nor do I want it—my eyes volleying back and forth between the pair of them as they argue. Shannon’s steadfast commitment to her truths has my head spinning.

“I…I need a minute.” I press a few fingers to my temple, taking long strides in the opposite direction, walking toward my house. It’s across campus and down a few blocks, but I have to get away from this place right now.

I have to—

“Yup. Good. Run away!” Shannon calls to my back as I speed walk. “Don’t stop!”

I don’t stop until I’m home.

fifty-two

drake

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