Page 185 of Strange Seduction
I stood, water cascading off my skin as I stepped out of the hot tub and grabbed my towel. I couldn’t even look at him.
Behind me, he said my name.
But I didn’t answer. I wrapped the towel around myself, his engagement ring suddenly tight on my finger, and walked out into the dark.
“What do you even need back in New York, Carmen?” His voice was low but sharp as he followed me. “Everything you need is right here. I’m right here.”
I didn’t raise my voice because I didn’t have to. “You don’t get to decide what I do with my life. Especially not without asking me first.”
He got closer and pulled me to a stop. “We talked about this. I agreed to take over the company so we could start a life together. I built this home for us.”
“No,” I said. “You built it to keep me here.”
Theo scoffed under his breath and looked away. He dragged both hands down his face, exhaling like I was exhausting him. “Come on.”
“No, you come on.” My throat was tightening, and the hurt started curdling into anger. Suddenly, everything became clearer, and all his controlling behavior I had been ignoring rose to the surface.
This was just too far.
I didn’t stop. “Is that why you reversed the vasectomy and kept nutting in me? Was that the plan? To trap me?”
He turned, hard. “Is that what you think of me?”
“I don’t know what I think of you anymore.” And that part hurt the worst.
His face crumpled for just a second.
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” he said quietly. “But I would never do something like that to you. I just… I did all this because I wanted you here. I thought I was doing the right thing. I promise I only have your best interests at heart.”
“My best interest?” I repeated, voice rising. “Let me ask you something. What about my father’s funeral? Did you send for my things in New York? Tell my mom I’m staying? Or did you conveniently only tell Marcus? ”
His mouth flattened. “I don’t like what you’re implying.”
“It’s not an implication.” I stepped closer, staring up at him. “You went to Marcus first because you knew if I lost that job, I’d have no choice but to stay.”
He rolled his eyes and turned to walk away.
I grabbed his arm. “I’m not staying, Theodore.”
His head whipped toward me. “Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to.”
He stared, stunned. “You think I want to be here? You think this is where I pictured my life? I’m here because I had responsibilities dropped in my lap. And you’re the one who told me to take it. I was ready to walk away from it all foryou, and you said I should come here.”
He stepped closer, breath catching. “Now I’m asking for something. I’m telling you I can’t do this without you. I want to come home to you. I want to wake up to you—and for that, I get punished?”
“Oh, please.” I rolled my eyes. “Did I force you into the plane, too? At some point, you’re gonna have to take responsibility for your actions, Theodore. You’re not absolved of all this because you’re unsatisfied with where your life is. Blaming me for you being here is entirely unfair.”
“Why else am I here, then?”
“You tell me!” I yelled. “I never once made you stay here, Theodore. I never once told you not to come to me. Why do I have to come here, huh? Why can’t you come to me?”
He pinched his nose bridge. “My job is here, Carmen. The same job that allowed me to build this.” He gestured to the walls of the house.
“I didn’t ask—” I started, but he cut me off.
“The same job that pays for that apartment in New York. That brought you here. That allows you to have half a million-dollar shopping sprees because you feel like it.”
