Page 36 of Don't You Dare Marry Me

She had no home.

She was living in Abagail’s house only because she provided sex.

She had no job.

“You have to take care of yourself,” Abagail said with another sigh. “It’s important.”

“I do take care of myself, thank you.” Nicola’s voice was low, almost a growl. She really didn’t want this to turn into a pissingmatch, but she wasn’t going to let Abagail insult her either. She was fully aware of just how screwed up her life had become since the car accident that ruined every fucking thing possible. She wasn’t the happy-go-lucky girl she used to be.

Nope.

Never again.

Abagail grunted and stared down at the letters in her hand again, but she didn’t look to actually be reading them. “You’re not taking care of yourself.”

“Excuse me?” Nicola said, her voice bursting through the room.

“You’re not.” Abagail looked up at her then. “Where do you live, Nicola?”

“I…” Nicola’s jaw dropped. “What does it even matter to you? I’m not your girlfriend. I’m not your wife. You have no say over where I live or where I don’t live.”

Abagail’s lips thinned impossibly, disappearing into her mouth before they popped back up. “You’re homeless.”

“So what?” Nicola put her hands on her hips, anger rising in her chest and filling every empty space that was there before. “I don’t need a big empty house to satisfy my needs.”

Abagail guffawed, the sound ricocheting through the kitchen and straight into Nicola’s heart. Was she actually laughing at her?

“I don’t have a complex issue,” Nicola added under her breath.

“No, you have a money issue.” Abagail reached out, gripping onto Nicola’s wrist. Her fingers wrapped firmly around, painfully so, her nails biting into Nicola’s flesh. “You shouldn’t be in this situation.”

“No, you’re right. I shouldn’t.” Nicola stared at her, that anger building more and more. Warren had this same entitled attitude about him. He’d hated the fact that Nicola had beenbroke and poor, that she’d struggled to make ends meet, and that she’d never been able to get ahead on her bills. Never. “But it’s absolutely none of your business that I am.”

Abagail’s lips parted like she was going to say something and then stopped herself.

“When will my car be ready?”

“It’s in the garage.” Abagail seemed taken aback by that.

Nicola twisted her wrist from Abagail’s grasp and took a step back. “Perfect. You won’t have to deal with my miserable life any longer.”

Stepping past Abagail, Nicola made to leave the room. She was stopped suddenly when Abagail grabbed her arm hard and twisted her back around, pushing her into the counter that they’d just been sucking face against.

“You don’t walk out on me,” Abagail threatened.

“I don’t?” Nicola was on fire tonight. She wasn’t going to let Abagail ruin her life or run it any more. This had all been a mistake. The worst part of the mistake was letting her heart enter into the conversation when she’d repeatedly told it not to. That wasn’t the purpose of their arrangement. “You don’t own me.”

Abagail staggered a step backward.

“Don’t mistake paying me to fuck you as ownership. Ever.” Nicola pushed her way beyond Abagail. “Don’t ever fucking think that I’m someone who can be controlled.”

Without another word, she stomped out of the kitchen. She went straight up to the room where she’d been staying, grabbed the clothes she’d shown up in and dropped Abagail’s credit card on the nightstand.

Fuck her.

Nicola was done.

She snagged her purse and stalked back down the stairs toward the garage. She was ready to be out of there. It was fun while it lasted but that was all this was. Nothing more.

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