KIRA

I don’t think I have ever been so angry in my entire life. Not even the time my older brother Dean melted my favorite Barbie’s head while trying to hot glue her to the top of one of his stupid football trophies.

I had to keep my shit together for most of the day. I was too busy being the lifeblood of Spin Sync to lose my cool beyond the–in my opinion–too kind words I had for Jonathan and thatfuckingWarren this morning.

I shiver, repressing the memory of the bridal suite and all the other memories of nights I’d spent thinking about Warren between my legs.

I was tempted to pull aHalf Bakedthis morning and tell Jonathan and the cameras to fuck off, quitting in an epic fashion on a livestream. Thankfully, my good sense won out over my temper in the end.

Besides, I meant what I said to the stupid, sexy British idiot. Spin Sync is mine; I don’t care if it’s hisname on the paperwork. I’m not going to let a bunch of men who think they run the world take away the pride and joy I feel when I walk through those doors.

I pull out my phone, ready to call my dads and fill them in on the bullshit when I hear my name being called from behind me. I roll my eyes and pick up my pace, intent on ignoring the man with the adorable accent and the wicked tongue.

“Kira, slow down. We need to talk.”

“I’ve got nothing to say to you,” I yell back, not bothering to look over my shoulder. Not entirely true. I’ve got plenty to say to the man. Angry things. Horny things. Lots of things that aren’t appropriate to scream out on the street.

“Well, I do, so if you’d just stop for a second–” he catches up to me, palming my shoulder. I whip around on him so fast I nearly give myself a head rush.

“What is it? You want to tell me how stupid I am? I already know.”

“Stupid? What are you talking about, Kira?”

I run a hand over my slicked back hair, laughing even though nothing about this is funny.

“You must have thought it was hilarious, didn’t you? I bet you and Jonathan had a good laugh at my expense after the wedding. Silly, slutty little Kira, spreading her legs for a man right before he turns around and takes everything from her,again. I’m such a fucking idiot. All that time I saw you watching me, I thought you liked me. Me, not just the idea of me. Evenif it was just a physical thing, I was okay with that. I didn’t need more than an orgasm, but that wasn’t enough for you. You had to take my dignity, too.”

My lip trembles, but I refuse to shed a tear. I never cry in front of other people, and I’m certainly not going to start in front of this asshole.

Dammit, I’m so stupid. I can’t believe I actually thought Warren and I had a spark. I think about how many times I thought about asking James for his number. How many times I wondered if maybe Warren was thinking about me, too? How many times I’ve laid in bed at night with my hand between my legs, trying to recreate the magic we’d made together in that bridal suite.

God, I got on my knees for this man, and then he fucking screwed me over.

“Kira, darling, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t understand what I took from you. If you’re upset because you think I knew I’d end up being your boss when we…well you know what we did. I can assure I didn’t. I wouldn’t have…”

He trails off, and I can see his resolve wavering.

“It was always meant to be mine, Warren. Spin Sync was always mine. Jonathan took it from me. He took my idea and all the credit and the glory and the money and then he sold it to you. And as if taking what’s mine wasn’t bad enough, you also had to get a piece ofme, too. You’re just as fucked up as he is.”

Warren stares at me, his expression fading fromconfusion to anger and back again. Even though I don’t want to hear any excuse he might have, I throw my hands up in the air, exasperated that he doesn’t seem to have anything to say to me now.

“I am so sick of all you very important men with your very important thoughts swooping in and fucking up my life. I’m done. You want this company? It’s already yours. But I’ll be damned if I let you steamroll over me again, Warren.”

“Steamroll you? How in the hell have I steamrolled you? How the fuck was I supposed to know that Jonathan made you promises that he didn’t fulfill? I don’t know the man. All I did was make what I think is going to be a wise investment and now I’ve got you spinning around me like a goddamn windstorm, ready to blow my head off. You’re blaming me for something that someone else did to you, and that’s not fair. And besides, you’re the one who insisted on it being a one-time thing. Maybe if I’d had your phone number–”

“Don’t you even dare go there, asshole. It’s the twenty-first century. We have mutual friends. If you wanted to get in contact with me, we both know how easy that would have been. You’re just a fucking man who does what he wants and doesn’t care who he hurts in the process.”

I turn on my heel, cutting myself off from his rambling excuses. I barely make it five steps before…

“Kira!”

I don’t want to stop. I don’t want to turn and look athim. I don’t want him to see the unshed tears swimming in my eyes.

But I can’t help myself. Sort of like when I have a cavity and have to poke it with my tongue from time to time to see if it still hurts. I have to know what he was going to say.

Slowly, I turn back around.

“What?”