Chapter 34

34

Isaac

"You what?" I blink, then burst out laughing. "I know you're pissed at me, but c'mon. This isn't the kind of thing you should joke about."

"I'm not joking."

I wipe the smile off of my face. "I don't understand, Lena."

"What's not to understand?" She jumps up and off the bed, then begins to pace. "I slept with JJ. I fucked him. I had sex with him."

Anger squeezes my rib cage. My heart jumps into my throat, blocking off my airflow. I try to say something, but nothing comes out of my mouth. My brain cells seem to be unable to create a single thought.

She turns and surveys my features. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

I shake my head to clear it. "You slept with JJ?"

She nods.

"You fucked my father?"

She pales, but doesn't glance away. "That's what I said."

I sit up, then drag my fingers through my hair. "When... when did it happen?"

"Just now, on our way back from the office."

"You fucked him... In the car?"

"In his Rolls." She locks her fingers together. "It's only happened once, Isaac."

"Are you in love with him?"

She stares at me. "What? No, of course not."

"So why did you sleep with him?"

"We were attracted to each other. And the, uh, connection between us has been growing over the last few days. We've been spending so much time in each other's company—in the office, in meetings… It… just spiraled out of control. But I swear, I'm not going to sleep with him again, Isaac. I'm going to do my best to avoid him. I?—"

"Bullshit." I spring up and face her across the expanse of the bed. "Look me in the face and tell me you don't want to fuck him again."

She opens her mouth, then shuts it.

"That's what I thought. You're not the kind of person to make impulsive decisions, Lena. It took me years of getting to know you before you agreed to sleep with me, and you've fallen into his bed within days of meeting him? You must feel something for him. That's the only reason you'd allow him to fuck you, unless?—"

"Unless?" She scowls.

"Unless it's his money. The security he can provide you. You're always worried about having a roof over your head, about paying your bills. It's why you've been so focused on your career. You hate having debts, Lena. You lay awake at night, unable to sleep, wondering how you're going to pay it off. No doubt, his wealth played a factor in your letting him seduce you."

For a few moments, she seems speechless, then she bursts out, "You're accusing me of being taken in by his affluence? By his position and his riches and" —she waves her hand in the air— "by all this?"

"You wouldn't be the first. And it's okay, I get it. It must be a lot coming from a background like yours..."

"And what background is that?" she asks in a low voice. "What are you trying to imply?"

"That you're just another gold digger. I thought you were different, Lena. I thought you saw through the masks people wear, to what's true underneath it all. I thought you weren't the kind of woman who'd be taken in by status and money, but I guess I was wrong."

"It's not like that, Isaac. Truly. It's just this… this chemistry between us."

"Chemistry?" I laugh. "If that were the case, you wouldn't have cheated on me."

"That's not true. What we have, it… it's not enough, Isaac."

"Are you saying you never had any feelings for me?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying. I care a lot about you, Isaac. You're probably my best friend. In real life, outside of my books. "I love you, and I never wanted to hurt you."

"But you have. And it looks to me like you have the hots for my father's wealth. How he can wipe away all your debts in one go. How he can, no doubt, take care of your family, too. Have you planned it all out, Lena? Have you decided to get pregnant while you're at it, too? So you can lure him into marrying you and setting yourself up for life, you?—"

"Stop it." She marches around the bed and raises her hand, but I catch her wrist.

"Going to slap me now?"

She tugs at her hand. "Let me go."

"Why should I? You're my father's whore now. Maybe I should fuck you one last time and send you back to him with my scent on your skin. Would he like that you think?"

"Stop." She tries to pull away, but I tug on her arm, then twist it behind her back. I tug and she falls against me. Her breasts smash into my chest, her hips cradle mine, and my cock instantly snaps to attention. She must sense it, for her eyes widen and her cheeks redden further. Her breath comes in small gasps. "Don't you dare, Isaac."

"Oh, yeah? Give me one reason why I shouldn't fuck you? You cheated on me, so you owe me, Lena."

"I don't owe you anything, Isaac. I was the one who supported you when you were too lost in your head to figure out how to pay your bills or keep a roof over your head."

"That's why you fucked my father? As payment for all the times you took care of me?"

She furrows her forehead, a look of abject helplessness on her features. "I know you're upset and you want to hurt me, but you have to know that's not why I?—"

"Shagged my father?"

"You know that's not why I did it, Isaac. I didn't mind taking care of you. It was my role as your girlfriend?—"

"You're no longer my girlfriend."

A drop of moisture squeezes out from the corner of her eye. "I'm so sorry, Isaac."

"Well, you can apologize by fucking me one last time." I begin to shove her toward the bed, and she resists.

"Stop. Stop it, Isaac." Her voice rises in pitch.

The band around my chest tightens further. Why are you doing this? Why are you scaring her? Let her go already. She doesn't want you, she's made that abundantly clear. And she wants him instead. Once more, my bitch of a father has managed to get the better of me, just like he did when I was growing up. He won almost every fight I had with him then, and he's managing to do it now, too.

I shove her back. The backs of her knees hit the frame of the bed, and I push her onto it. She falls onto the bed. I throw myself on her, covering her body with mine.

"Isaac, what are you doing?" she pants. Her features are flushed and her pupils are dilated. You might be fooled into thinking she's aroused, except for the fact that she slams her fist into my shoulder. "Let me the hell go," she snaps.

"No." I first grab one arm, then the other, and twist it over her head. "You slept with my father; now it's my turn."

"This is not some competition, you asshole."

I stare at her, then chuckle. "Of course it is, sweetheart. Haven't you realized that by now?"

"Wait, what?" She blinks rapidly. She surveys my features and understanding dawns on hers. "Is that why… No, it can't be..."

"If you mean, did I bring you here with the notion of flouting you in front of my father, then you're right."

"What?" she chokes out. "I don't believe you. You had feelings for me, Isaac. We felt… something for each other. We've always been friends. I was worried about you, about us. I'm the one who insisted we approach your father for help."

"And I saw the wisdom in that," I agree, "and we were friends. So, it's not like I set out to show you off to my father. But then I saw the way he looked at you. Saw how he couldn't keep his eyes off you. Hell, he didn't stop himself from interrupting when we fought in front of him. So, I knew you'd caught his attention. For once I wanted to show him that I had something he didn't. That I was better than him. I thought I had youth on my side. He may have money?—"

"Which you're going to inherit one day."

"And which I'll donate to charity right away, but that's not the point. The fact is, for the first time in my life, I had one up on him. I had something he coveted. For once, I was better than him. At least, I thought I was. I was sure you'd choose me over him."

"This is crazy." She shakes her head as if to clear it. "If you knew he wanted me, then why did you agree to me taking the job in his company? Why were you fine with me working with him? With me accompanying him to the office... with working in such close quarters with him?"

"Because I wanted to make a point. I wanted to rub his nose in it. I wanted him to realize I had won this round."

"This is not a competition," she says in a harsh voice.

"Apparently not. I never stood a chance. I never thought that you'd fall for him. I should have realized you'd turn out to be like every other woman. Show them a loaded wallet and they can't see anything else. I thought you loved me, Lena. I thought you were on my side."

"I am," she cries. "I am, Isaac."

"Until you weren't." I set my lips. "I'm going to fuck you, Lena. I'm going to show you that I'm every bit as good as my father— No, that I'm better than that bastard. I can do better than him, Lena." I square my shoulders. "I'm going to do better than him. Just you wait." I lower my head to hers.

She turns away. "Stop, Isaac, stop."

"Kiss me, Lena, just give me this chance to prove myself."

"No, get away from me. Please."

"Just one kiss. That's it. A kiss." When did I start yelling?

She strains under me. "No, Isaac. You've lost your mind."

"I've lost my mind? I'll show you—" I press my lips to hers. The next moment, I'm hauled away from her. I hit the floor, and the back of my head smashes into the hardwood. The breath rushes out of me. Stars fill my vision. When it clears, I stare up into the angry face of the bastard who calls himself my father.