Page 6 of Even Exchange

“Keep your money, rich girl,” I say, and she glances up, shooting dagger eyes. “We’ll circle back in a few days.”

“Can’t wait.” She cracks a smile, gaze holding mine, and sighs. “I suppose I should say thank you.”

“For?”

“All of”—she waves a hand at the room—“this.”

“It was nothing.”

“It may have been unexpected… but it certainly wasn’t nothing.”

I shift against the hard floor. My ass is so numb at this point, I barely feel it. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

Given her soft expression, I consider changing my question, but the exhaustion and emotions of the night loosen my tongue. “Why are you still with that guy?”

She frowns, eyes hardening. “You wouldn’t get it.”

“Try me.”

“He’s just…” She wraps her arms around her legs. “I love him.”

“Even though he treats you like shit?”

Her head snaps toward me. “What would you know about how he treats me?”

“He did leave youwastedat a bar.” Anger thrums through me. She mutters a curse, pushing to stand, and I follow her lead as she rushes out of the bathroom and into the living room. “Not top-tier boyfriend material,” I press.

She spins to face me. “Sophia made him leave, remember?”

“Jonathan’s an adult, and Sophia’s not his boss. If he wanted to take you home, he would have.” My jaw clenches. “But he didn’t. He left.”

“Easy for you to say,” she says with an eye roll.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m sure no one’s ever thrown you out of anywhere.”

“Yeah,” I scoff. “Because I’m not an asshole.”

She flings an arm toward the front door. “You should leave.”

“I wasn’t trying to upset you,” I say, lowering my tone, stepping towards her, and she retreats.

Noted.

Rule number one: don’t touch Charlotte.

“No, but you are trying to tell me how to live my life,” she huffs. “Likeeveryoneelse does.”

“I’m trying to make you realize you deserve better than that shitbag.”So much better.

Her face flushes, muscles tense. “Jonathan is a good person.”

I snort a laugh. “Yeah, if the scale is from asshole to serial killer, sure, he’s a good person.”

Her mouth falls open. “You know wh—” A pounding at the door cuts off her retort. She stares at it, as frozen as I am.

---