Page 60 of Asking For It

“What? No.” Kingston managed to sound genuinely surprised.

I wasn’t. He’d been lying to my face about everything for more than a month. “You didn’t file for a zoning change?”

He grimaced. “I did, but I figured I still had a few days to fess up.”

“And by then it wouldn’t matter? Because you’d have suckered me into thinking you care?” My retort held a sharp edge. “Maybe you shouldn’t have pulled strings to move up the hearing date, in that case.”

“I didn’t do that. I promise.”

I let out a barking laugh. “Oh, then it’s okay. We’re okay. None of this matters.”

“Kitty Cat—”

“Don’t.” I whirled on Owen again. “Don’t call me that. And don’t think you can use logic to convince me this isn’t a big deal. You fucked me. Both of you. To get to my shop. This was the plan from the start, wasn’t it? Pick me up at the bookstore—”

“We didn’t know who you were,” Owen said.

I looked at Kingston. This was going to give me whiplash. “Didn’t you?”

“Hand to God.” He had the nerve to raise his fucking hand.

I shook my head in disbelief. “Like that means anything coming from you. Like I trust a single word you say. It’s just a complete and total coincidence that I got the zoning change notice the same night youfoundme in the coffee shop? And the next morning youjust happenedto walk into my café, when the pick-up didn’t work? You figured, fuck the fat chick, and she’ll do anything we ask?”

Anger bled onto Kingston’s face.

“I promise you—”

“Or was this a fetish?” I cut Owen off again. I could probably scream at Kingston all night, but if Owen started talking, if he was reasonable, I didn’t know if I’d have a counter. I wouldn’t be shut down. “A game, maybe? Let’s fuck the fat—”

“Stop.” Kingston’s voice was hard. “Don’t call yourself that.”

Seriously? “Fuck you. You don’t get to say what I do. I can call myself fa—”

“No. Because you’re not.” Kingston was definitely mad. Good. “You’re intelligent. You’re fun. You’re gorgeous.”

“I’m gullible. I’m easy to lie to. I’m desperate for a connection. Why don’t you say what you’re really thinking?” Why did this hurt so much?

Owen reached for my arm and I jerked away with a glare.

He held up his hands and kept his distance. “You’ll probably take this the wrong way, but your shop isn’t worth what you’re accusing us of.”

I barked in disbelief. “Is there a right way to take that?”

“No one’s shop is worth that. Why would either of us, let alone both of us, spend a month leading you on, for a little café?”

“Wow, you’re shit at apologies. Or do you just want to twist the knife a little more? The deception isn’t complete until I’m bleeding?”

Owen’s expression was blank, but if I looked close enough, I swore I could see a barely controlled emotion under the surface. “You know me better than that.”

“Do I? Is the two of youfalling for each otherpart of the game? A way to draw me in? A way out?Sorry, Baby, now that we have what we want, we love each other. Bye.” Even as I spit out the sarcasm, I knew that last bit wasn’t true. But if it was real, other things they were saying may be too, and I couldn’t accept that.

Owen pulled off a spectacular imitation of hurt mixed with anger. “The only reason to do what we did, either of us, with you, is because we love your company. Not as in your business, but spending time withyou. I was genuine—we both were. I love everything about you.”

“You don’t get to say that to me. Not now. Not ever.” I was shredded from the inside-out. “You lied to me the moment you approached me. You didn’t even give me your real names. I should have known everything after that would be just as much bullshit. I should have—” I choked off a sob.Don’t break. Not here. Not in front of them.

I forced myself to breathe. To look calm, despite crumbling. “This charade, joke, whatever it is, it’s over. Don’t set foot in my store again. Don’t call me again. We’re done.”

I spun on my toe and stalked toward the door. It was tempting to bump Kingston with my shoulder on my way past, but I didn’t want to feel him ever again, even for that.

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