Page 233 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1
"But how did they know that? How did they know about the fake grade? And me going into your office?"
"I'm sure there's a logical explanation for that."
"Right. I'm waiting for the explanation. What is it?"
"I don't know. That's their job. They're the investigators. They must have pieced something together."
Pieced something together.I looked down at my empty shot glass. Vodka had been a bad idea. My mind already seemed slightly foggy. I wasn't going to be able to piece anything together like this. I just wanted to talk to him. I needed to see his reaction to the accusation. "They didn't actually know if that had happened. They just inferred it."
"Inferred it? From what?" He poured himself another shot and downed it.
"From what two other girls said during their interviews. Apparently both of them said that you lured them into your office to seduce them under that pretense of a poor grade." I had a vague desire to tell him he shouldn't be drinking. But I had seen him drink before. Besides, I was really the one that shouldn't be drinking.
"Penny, you know I didn't do that. That's ridiculous."
"Is it that ridiculous? You kind of did that to me."
"And I just told you that was different. I've said it a million times, Penny. It's only ever been you. You know that. You know how I feel about you."
"But why would those girls lie? Why would they say you did that?"
"I don't know."
"And in the exact same way? How would they have known that if it wasn't something that you just do to tons of students?"
"Is that really what you think?"
"I don't want to think that. But..."
"But you do?"
I didn't say anything. I just stared at him.
"You think I gave my prettiest female students bad grades in hopes that they'd come to my office hours? So that I could get them alone and then what? Bargain with them to improve their grades? I didn't bargain with you, Penny. You kissed me. You asked me to punish you. I can get any girl I want. I don't need to make deals with immature college students to suck me off. I'm not desperate."
I hated when he lost his temper. I was just trying to understand. Maybe the detectives were right. A person acting defensive usually had something they were trying to defend.
"Then why are you dating me?" I asked.
"Because I love you."
"You can have any girl you want, James. Maybe you should go try to find someone a little more mature. You know, someone who isn't a college student."
"That's not what I meant." His hands were gripping the countertop and his knuckles were turning white.
"It's what you said, James."
He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. "I don't understand why you believe them over me. I just need you to believe me. I need to know that you trust me."
Lots of our fights seemed to come back to the issue of trust. And I did trust him. I felt guilty. I was pushing his buttons. "I do trust you."
"Okay."
I needed to believe him. If this was going to work, we needed to be able to trust each other. "Should you really be drinking that?"
He raised his eyebrow. "Should you?"
"No, probably not." I gave him a small smile.
