Page 33 of Take the Wheel

‘That’s not what happened,’ Ari replied, her tone filled with an anger she’d promised herself she’d never give Paris again. ‘So don’t think you can gaslight me.’

Paris rolled her eyes. ‘Gaslight? Wow, that word is really getting its moment, isn’t it?’ She chuckled lightly, but it fell flat. ‘I never wanted to hurt you, but I had to think of myself. I’m glad you’ve found someone who appreciates you. Just like I have. Cal takes me as I am.’

‘You never wanted to hurt me?’ Ari echoed, shocked by the audacity. She had never forgotten Paris’s little ways but reliving them was another story. ‘You made it clear that your lies were more important than our relationship. Do you think I wanted to spend years being made a fool? Never really knowing what you wanted out of me?’

A heavy silence hung between them.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said that,’ Ari said, angry with herself.

Paris laughed at her. ‘No, this is on me. I shouldn’t have asked you for a favour. I forgot how you get when you think you’re owed.’

‘You can’t make this about a DJ, Paris,’ Ari shot back, her heart racing. ‘It’s about damage.’

‘What damage?’ Paris asked, a challenge lacing her voice.

Jesus, was this coming out? Here and now? That was no good. Ari wasn’t handling this right at all.

‘Say it,’ Paris said, her smile turning nasty. ‘What did I take from you?’

Ari realised that Pariswantedto be accused. The woman lived for these moments. She loved to have you say what she’d done wrong and then turn things around so much that you walked away feeling likeyouwere the criminal. It was Paris’s idea of a good time.

But Ari was past the point of knowing a good idea from what she simply wanted to do. Which was to say it aloud. Call her a thief to her face.

‘Paris—’

Just then, the door swung open, and Nancy burst in, her presence a sudden interruption to the charged atmosphere. ‘There you two are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!’

Ari turned, momentarily distracted from the confrontation. ‘Nancy, now is not—’

‘No, no, it’s fine,’ Paris interjected, her tone shifting as she plastered on a bright smile. ‘I was just catching up with Ari. But we’re done now. Aren’t we, darling?’

Ari shot Paris a glare, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. ‘If you say so, Paris.’

Paris nodded. ‘Yes. I think so.’ And she walked off.

‘I heard you yelling from down the hall,’ Nancy said. ‘I thought it best not to let it get too far.’

Ari nodded, her blood boiling. ‘Good call.’ She took a deep, ragged breath, collecting herself. ‘I think I just need to go back to the room for a moment,’ she said, already walking away.

Twenty-Five

Nancy hesitated briefly before deciding to follow Ari. She needed to keep an eye on her. The state she was in, someone had to.

Nancy followed in her direction and found her in their room. She discovered Ari standing over the bed, fists pounding mercilessly into a pillow. Feathers threatened to burst from the seams with each furious hit.

‘What the hell are you doing?’

Ari barely glanced up, her expression tight with determination. ‘Therapy.’

Nancy shut the door behind her. ‘OK, well, now you’ve killed the pillow. Can you tell me what that fight was about?’

Ari gave a hollow laugh, shaking her head. ‘Not now, Nancy.’ She threw the pillow aside and stormed over to the chest of drawers, yanking them open one by one.

Nancy folded her arms. ‘What’s that achieving?’

Ari huffed, pushing each drawer back in with force. ‘I need to slam something, and the door is too loud.’

Nancy frowned. ‘Ari—’

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