Page 66 of Twist of Fate
I did not want to leave things with Ash like this.
Distant and unfinished.
But what else was there to do?
I already made a mess of things by letting my feelings for her get the best of me. When she was an ocean away, it was actually feasible to ignore them. Now, I felt like I was at war with myself, never knowing what I would do from one moment to the next.
Not paying attention to where I’m going as I trudge down the hallway, I nearly plow into someone walking past me. “Sorry, mate,” I begin to say, but then I look up and find myself staring into the eyes of Theo Vasquez.
And he looks pissed.
“Did you just come out—” His eyes dart to the closed door of the toilet where Ash still is, and he stops mid-sentence. “What the fuck, man?”
If things hadn’t ended so spectacularly shitty between us in there, I might feel entitled to gloat at the look of sheer horror on his face. But I can’t. Not this time.
“None of your business,” I mutter, then attempt to sidestep him. However, he blocks my path, and with a sigh, I move out of the walkway. I don’t want to create a scene, nor do I want to be in anyone’s way.
Theo doesn’t seem to care.
“None of my business?” He scoffs. “She will always be my business. She’s my future wife.”
My brow lifts as I shove my hands into my pockets, leaning against the wall. “Does she know this?”
“We’re meant for each other,” he says very matter-of-factly, jutting his chin out. “We always have been. Ever since we were kids. This”—he makes a motion with his hands—“is just a setback.”
“And by this”—I pull my hand from my pocket and mimic his ridiculous hand gesture—“you mean you cheating on her?”
His eyes flash with anger before glazing over into a cool, calculated expression. “You know, I recognize you,” he says, folding his arms across his broad chest. The glint of a Rolex sparkles on his wrist. New, undoubtedly, and top-of-the-line. “I wasn’t quite sure when I saw you in the hallway yesterday, so I pulled up Ash’s Instagram account and scrolled way the hell back.”
Kind of stalkerish, but I know what he’s referring to. I don’t know the point he’s trying to make, however.
“You were her tour guide,” he says.
I shrug. “So?” It’s not exactly a shameful secret if that’s what he’s implying.
“And now you’re the CEO?”
“It’s my family company,” I reply. “There are no small jobs—even for the CEO. I’ve shadowed every position in some capacity.”
“Very magnanimous of you,” he deadpans. “The point is you were irrelevant back then—nothing more than a forgotten photo from a random trip, and now it will be no different. She’s not staying here. She’ll move on, and you’ll be just another memory in an Instagram post.”
“And let me guess, you’ll be there to help her move on?”
“What can I say? She’s always been my biggest fan.” He grins. Jesus, how does this guy even fit through the door with an ego that large?
“And I’m just suddenly supposed to believe you’ve changed? That after fucking your way through half of Spain, you’re gonna what? Settle down?”
His face hardens. It wasn’t like the guy didn’t have a reputation.
I take a step forward, invading his space to ensure he hears me because I’m only going to say this once. “She isn’t a prize for you to win. She’s not a game, and even if she were, you lost the second you fucked around with another woman—a lesson you clearly haven’t learned yet.” His chest heaves with anger. “Now, walk away and let her live her life however she damn well chooses.”
“And let me guess, is that going to be with you?”
“No, I’m following my own advice.” I swallow hard as my gaze shifts just as Ash exits the bathroom. Our eyes meet for the briefest moment before I turn away. “She deserves better than both of us.”
She deserves everything.
EIGHTEEN
