Page 79 of Cocky Prince
She lets out a shaky breath. “I’m doing what’s right. Are you?”
“How do you know what I’m doing is wrong?” I shoot back.
“Are you working with them?” she asks.
“Yes.”
“Then I have my answer.”
She moves to shut the door and I brace my hand on the wood, halting her. “Let me come in. Let’s talk about this.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” Her voice comes out shaky, as though she’s trying not to cry.
My stomach rolls over and my chest tightens. I nudge the door open and try to pull her into my arms, but she steps away.
“Please leave,” she says. “I need time to think.”
“Are you kidding? I’m not the best boyfriend, Hayden. I’ve fucked up my share of relationships. But I know communication is important. Don’t push me away.” I graze my finger over the one she has on the door. “Let’s talk so that we can work this out.”
“I want to,” she says in a light voice, her eyes studying my finger rubbing a circle over hers. “But this thing between us happened so fast. And the things I suspect about Blue are huge.” Her gaze penetrates mine. “They’re important, not just to me, but to our friends and anyone else who’s been wronged by Blackwell and the casino. I won’t ignore things the way management did when Gen filed the complaints against Drake Peterson. Maybe thisismy redemption for allowing bullies to run me out of town all those years ago, but it’s also dangerous to pretend nothing is wrong. I can’t let anyone get hurt if I’m able to put a stop to it, don’t you understand?” She swallows and takes in a shaky breath. “So are you going to tell me what’s going on with Blue and this Bliss thing?”
I glance up and let out a growl. “I can’t.”
This time, her eyes gloss over and she nods. “Then I can’t do us. Not right now. Not if you support Blackwell and what I suspect is happening at the casino.”
“Wait, Hayden. You don’t understand. And I can’t give you the answers you need, but if you give me time I will.”
“When?”
“I don’t know.”
“That sounds like evasion,” she says. “You haven’t exactly been forthcoming with information. Everything I’ve discovered, I’ve found out on my own.”
“Which I wish you would stop doing.”
Iamevading her questions—for her own good. I don’t want her involved, and I’ll risk anything to keep her out of it. Even what’s between us, which is the first real thing I’ve had since my mom died. But Hayden is worth more even than that. I won’t see her hurt.
“Goodbye, Adam.” She closes the door and I stand there, my hands shaking, chest sawing in and out with the adrenaline coursing through me.
I slam my fist against the doorframe and stride to my car.
Chapter Thirty
Hayden
Icriedmyself to sleep two nights ago and continued to cry half the day yesterday, holed away in my house. I am torn in half—in love with Adam, and so furious with him I want to rail all over his ass. But I refuse to talk to him again until I figure out what’s right. Adam could easily seduce me into forgetting about Bliss. The happiness I feel when I’m with him is incredibly powerful. I let my convictions slip these last two weeks. I can’t let that happen again, now that I know he truly is keeping something from me.
Mira steps into the break room, where I’m standing by the coffeemaker, overcompensating for my lack of sleep with caffeine.
“Hey.” She scans my face and looks down at my hands. “You’re shaking.”
“Too much coffee. I’ll be fine.” Those damn tears that have been close to the surface reappear.
“Shit,” she whispers, and pulls me out of the break room and into her office two doors down. She closes the door behind us. “What happened? I just saw you on Saturday and everything was great.”
I let out a deep sigh. “I broke up with Adam.”
Her eyes widen. “Why would you do that?”
