Page 98 of Black Ties and White Lies

“Did you?” Carter raises his voice, making me flinch.

“Yes,” I yelp.

“Do you know who she is?”

I shake my head, my tongue feeling heavy with nerves.

“She’s the top reporter for a gossip site. She knows everything about everyone.”

“Good for her,” I respond in defeat. At this point I have no idea where any of this is going, what he’s trying to achieve with the boomerang of questions.

“She told me something about that fiancé of yours that I think you’d want to know.”

Maybe he knows why Beck and I became engaged in the first place. I don’t know how he or she could’ve found out about the agreement, but I guess it’s possible. I keep my mouth shut, however, in case that’s not where he’s going with this.

“I’m sorry, Carter,” I apologize, walking on eggshells with his turbulent mood right now. “I don’t know where you’re going with any of this.”

“You might know her for the article she ran on him. The one with all the women. I’msureyou saw it.”

“I’ve heard about it.”

“Did you know that Beckham paid Ruby to run it?”

My body goes absolutely still with shock. I couldn’t have heard him correctly. That’d make no sense. That article was the entire reason Beck was pressured by his board to clean up his image. There’s no way he’d be the one to run it in the first place.

My teeth dig into my lip as I try and think of a response. I don’t believe Carter’s delusions, but he also doesn’t seem to be in a stable state of mind. It probably wouldn’t be the best idea to tell him he’s wrong.

“Why would he do that?”

Carter clicks his tongue disapprovingly. He taps my forehead. “You’re smarter than this, Margo.Think. What happened after that article ran on Beck?”

I hold my tongue. I knowexactlywhat happened. After that article ran, Beck was told by his board he needed to clean up his image or they’d risk losing investors. I knew all of this. It’s the entire reason Beck came to me to begin with. But why would Beck ever want it to run in the first place?

He grabs me by the shoulders, bringing his face inches from mine. “You can cut the act. I know that Beck told you he needed a fake fiancée after that article ran to get the board off his back. He deceived you, Margo. The only reason the board was ever after him wasbecauseof him. He found a way for him to finally have you and he took it.”

“No,” I whisper, suddenly feeling dizzy. I don’t know if it’s from fear, shock, or the alcohol, but it feels like I’m moments away from passing out.

“He schemed to get you. He hated knowing that I ever had you, from the moment he first saw you at the bar. All of this was him trying to get back at me. He’s been obsessed with it from the moment we met. He doesn’t give a shit about you. It’s always been that he was jealous I got to you first. He never forgave me for that.”

My heart pounds in my chest as I feel like I could throw up. Too much is happening at once. I don’t want to believe a word he’s saying, but I can’t help but question everything now.

“You can ask Ruby if you want,” Carter adds, pulling me against him.

His breath hits my face. We’re way too close. He’s too much in my personal space.

“I need a moment,” I beg, pushing against his chest. If anything, it backfires. He takes it as a sign that I want him closer.

He grabs my face, our bodies flush against one another. “Take me back, Margo. Fuck him. It’s never been about you for him. He won’t love you the way I love you. He’s incapable of it.”

Tears stream my face as I shake my head at him. “Carter, no.”

It’s sickening how one hand holds me so tight it’s painful while the other strokes the hair in my face delicately. “I won’t ever hurt you again. Iloveyou. It’s supposed to be us.”

I try to turn my head to look away from him. He’s delusional. I don’t know what’s true when it comes to what he’s accusing Beck of, but even if everything he’s saying that I hope to be false actually is true, I still can’t be with him. I have no desire to.

I don’t love him anymore.

“I can’t.” My voice breaks. I hate it. He was never supposed to have power over me again. I’d already cried enough over him, yet here I am, falling apart in his grasp.

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