up with someone like me. They orchestrated our breakup. Maybe it was best that way. Better that it happened before we had too much time and emotion invested.
“Shelby.” His voice cracked.
“I said no.” I held up a hand, and though the tears threatened to rise, it was a different sort of cry than I’d had all week. It was good-bye. Tears of defeat. Before, I’d held on to hope that he would forgive me and we’d move on. But now? Alcohol apparently offered me clarity I hadn’t been able to achieve before. I swallowed as a tear trickled down my cheek.
“It’s okay. I get it.”
“You don’t get anything,” he growled. He reached out for me once more, but I dodged his hands, slipping into the bathroom, where I texted Reagan to come find me.
Tate and I were officially over.
Chapter Thirty-One
TATE
I watched through the crowd as Reagan ushered Shelby out of the bathroom, and it was only moments later that they left, hopefully to go home and not to another club. Based on how drunk Shelby was, I doubted they could even make it to another bar. And it wasn’t just wishful thinking on my part.
What did she mean by the fact she’d never lied to me? She had. That had to have been the alcohol talking.
I drove Chrissy and Brad back to their apartments, but not before having to pry Chrissy off my body. That wasn’t supposed to be what tonight was about. But of course, the second she got wind that Shelby and I were over, she was climbing all up on me. I pulled into my spot at the apartment and looked up to Shelby’s window—I knew it was hers by the orchid sitting on the ledge. It looked like the light was still on, and I rushed inside, impatiently pressing the elevator button.
I was still pissed, but we had to talk.
When I got to her door, there was a quiet shuffling coming from inside. I knocked, and all movement stilled. When the door finally creaked open, Harrison peeked out. His eyes narrowed, as did mine, my fists involuntarily closing. Absolute fury bubbled in my stomach as I took in his untucked shirt and disheveled hair. Shelby was wasted. I had to except that if we were really over, she was going to move on. But the thought of someone taking advantage of her when she was drunk was too much.
“What do you want?” Harrison whispered.
“What the fuck are you doi—”
Harrison put a finger to his lips. “Shhhh.” He grabbed a set of keys and came out into the hallway, shutting the door behind him. “Shelby’s asleep. Finally.”
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I whispered.
Harrison raised an eyebrow, seeming unfazed by my confrontation. “Me? I’ll always be here,” he said with a tilt of his chin. He drove his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels casually. “And unlike you, I never left.”
“Fuck you,” I spat and grabbed the collar of his shirt. The bastard smirked at me.
“Go ahead,” he whispered, sticking his jaw toward me. “Go for it. Fucking punch me. See how far it gets you, hitting the police commissioner’s son, asshole. You’ll be doing community service for the next year.” I shoved him, and he fell back into the wall, still smiling in that smug ass way. “And for that matter, see how far it gets you with Shelby.”
“Shelby and I are done.”
“Oh?” He snorted. “Then why are you here?”
I sighed. That was a damn good question. Why was I here? Because she seemed so sad and undone. “I want to make sure she’s okay.”
“She’s fine,” he answered quickly. “You can go home now.”
“And…” I paused. “I wanted to make sure we were okay to coexist as needed. French class, the tutoring center…”
Harrison shook his head and looked toward the ceiling lights. “You’re un-fucking-believable, you know that? You dump an amazing girl over the stupidest fucking reason I ever heard. Then you parade around your latest date, and when she finally gets herself out of bed to do something fun, you approach her and fuck with her mind, showing up at her door in the middle of the night.” Harrison ran a hand through his hair, scratching the back of his neck. “Well, whatever happened between you two at the club, believe me when I say she seems to get it. There was an eerie calm to her as we left, and she seems to understand that you two are over.