Page 22 of Claiming Kenna

“Nice to meet you,” I smiled tightly, trying hard to not roll my eyes. “Mmmm” was what he replied with and dropped my hand. Cullen came up beside me and put a hand on my lower back.

“Now my two favorite people have met, let’s eat and drink wine huh?!” Cullen said to us both. I sat up at the breakfast bar and gasped because the firm bar stool applied pressure to the butt plug. Cullen covered his mouth with his hand and fake coughed to cover his laugh and my new best friend George looked at me like I had grown a second head.

“Sorry I have back issues and it is giving me grief today,” I said and gave Cullen a death stare but gave in to my own temptations and wiggled slightly on the seat wondering if I could have an orgasm just sitting here. Cullen slid the glass of wine to me that he had poured earlier and poured George a fresh one. I took a sip hoping it would settle my nerves. After Cullen and George had chatted about work for a few minutes and dished up the takeaways he turned his attention to me.

“So Cullen tells me you're one of his students?” He asked.

“Yeah I am. I am studying Criminal Law,” I said proudly because whatever his ill feelings towards me he can’t argue that I am a no hopper.

“Well that’s good. Always nice to have more lawyers around,” He murmured and sat down opposite me with his pasta.

“So what’s your plans for Christmas?” I asked George, trying to be polite and make conversation. Cullen tensed beside me and George looked between us then swallowed.

“Probably just hang out with Cullen,”

“Oh that sounds nice,”

“Well…” He started then Cullen cut in.

“That’s enough Christmas talk. Christmas drives me nuts with all the carols playing everywhere. How is your new Porsche going, George?” Cullen said changing the subject. George whistled and his eyes lit up.

“Sooooo good. You need one. You wont regret it,”

“You know I am not a Porsche guy but I will take your word for it,” he chuckled.

We ate in silence apart from some background music playing. George stole the odd glance at me but kept his mouth shut. My big confession night and fairy-tale ending was feeling unlikely now. My mood had cooled and the room grew more and more tense. Cullen had to feel it and he was saying nothing. His phone rang as we were finishing the last of our food and he excused himself and left the room quickly. George let his eyes run over me and it made my skin crawl.Fuck this.

“Have you got a problem with me?” I came out and asked. He seemed like a straight up guy that wouldn’t beat around the bush with his answer.

“Yeah I don’t like gold diggers,” he sneered. I spat out my wine and wheezed from the burning in my chest.

“Who the fuck said I am a gold digger?” I felt humiliated and raged.

“My brother is thirty-eight and you are what, nineteen? I’m not stupid,”

“I am twenty-one and I like your brother a lot. The age isn’t an issue to us,”

“Of course it’s not because he is wealthy,” he seethed and leaned closer over the breakfast bar.

Now my blood was boiling and I could feel my eyes welling up with tears in frustration.

“I was doing fine on my own before I met Cullen. He pursued me and we both see a future together. You are fucked if you think you will get between us with your pathetic assumptions of me,” I hissed. George smirked and it wasn’t friendly.

“Cullen and I have a special bond that will always come before everyone else he has in his life. He suffered years of abuse so I wouldn’t have to and we worked hard, always having each others’ backs to get where we are today. Some little slut like you wont take that all away because you have a fresh tight vagina,” he fired at me with venom dripping off every word.

My mind was reeling. I felt so hurt but also shattered at George’s words. Abuse? Cullen had suffered abuse when he was younger? Tears slipped down my cheeks and I wiped them away.

“I would do anything for Cullen. I would never take his money from him,” I whispered through my sobs.

“You won't have to take it. He will give it all away to you because that is the type of person he is. Your tears don’t fool me. You haven’t suffered a day in your life. You are here for some fresh Chanel handbags and $500 bottles of wine. The best thing you can ever do for him is leave.” My eyes darted to my wine glass and back to George.

“You have no idea what I have been through and I don’t need to beg for a stranger to accept me.” I got up feeling dazed and looked towards Cullen's room where he was still on the phone talking.

I looked to George one final time and then spun on my heels and walked towards the elevator. I grabbed my suitcase and backpack and left. Never looking back. I called a taxi off my phone and paced the footpath waiting for it to arrive. My heart felt like it had been shattered into tiny pieces. Is that really how I looked when I was with Cullen? A nasty gold digger? I was torn between wanting to run back upstairs and pull Cullen into an embrace and tell him I am so sorry that he was abused but the other part of me wanted to run far away because fuck anyone that thinks I am a gold digger. I have worked so hard to become the person I am today and not end up as a druggy on the streets. The taxi slowed and stopped in front of me alongside the curb. I looked up at the sky rise apartment building and sobbed openly and then I turned to the taxi, threw my bags in the back seat and shut the door behind me.

“Where to lady?” The driver asked. I paused for a moment thinking over my next moves.

“The airport, I am going home to California,” I finally replied.

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