Boom - Sabrina Stark Page 0,105

lifetime.

Shit.

He said, "You knew what I meant."

"I know. I'm just saying…" My words trailed off into silence.

Crap. What was I saying? Okay, I fully realized that we couldn’t be together, not with him refusing to own up to what he'd done. And yet, my heart ached just the same.

Did his?

From the look in his eyes, I couldn’t be sure either way.

Stupidly, I finished by asking, "Do you care at all?"

His gaze darkened. "What do you think?"

"I think you're angry."

His tone grew sarcastic. "You think?"

"That's what I just said, isn't it?"

In my peripheral vision, I saw Cami watching from the far end of the hallway. When I gave her a worried glance, she pointed toward the front door and mouthed, "I'm going for a walk."

Oh, great. Now, on top of everything else, I'd forced her out on yet another fruitless walk. Poor Cami. Somehow, I'd need to make it up to her.

But I had just a few minutes with Brody, and I couldn’t afford to waste them. Plus, there was something I had to tell him before he heard it from someone else. "I ran into Mason today."

"Yeah. I heard."

"You did?" I shook my head. "When?" It couldn't have been too long ago, considering that barely an hour had passed since Mason had sped off, taking Willow with him.

Apparently, news traveled fast.

When Brody's only reply was a tight shrug, I reluctantly asked, "Did Mason say anything?"

"He might've." Brody's voice grew several degrees colder as he said, "But you're not fired, if that's what you're asking."

"I wasn't."

Stupid or not, I hadn't expected to be fired. But I had expected something, like for Mason to throw me off the roof or run me down with his car. And I wasn't even sure I was joking.

I asked, "Is Willow okay?"

"She's fine." And with that, Brody returned once again to his clothes. In less than a minute, he was done packing. When he zipped up his duffle bag, I felt a surge of raw, inexplicable panic.

This was happening way too fast.

And Brody still hadn't answered my question. I tried again. "So, do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Care." Again, I felt myself swallow. "About us, I mean?"

He hoisted the bag over his shoulder and turned to fully face me. "You think I don't?"

"Honestly, I don’t know what to think." My stomach clenched. "I mean, you're obviously leaving." It was a useless thing to say. Not only could I see that he was leaving. He'd just told me so during the last few minutes.

Plus, days ago, on the phone, I'd practically demanded that we separate. Wasn't this exactly what I'd wanted?

Yes.

And no.

The thought of us separating for good was nearly impossible to bear. "Well?" I said. "Do you?"

Brody dropped his duffle bag onto the floor and strode toward me. He stopped so close, I could've fallen into his arms.

I wanted to. Oh, boy did I want to.

But I didn’t. I couldn’t. Because he still wasn't being honest.

In a low voice, he said, "What, you think I don't care? Even now?"

"I don't know." I craned my neck to stare up at him. "Do you?"

"You know I do." His jaw clenched. "But I'm done."

My eyes filled with unshed tears. The whole thing was so totally unfair. If anyone should be angry, it was me.

Why should Brody get to leave in a huff when I was the one who'd been wronged?

With a choked sob, I said, "Oh, for God' sake, why don't you just admit it already?"

By now, he looked on the verge of losing it. "Admit what?"

"The thing with the house." I gave him another pleading look. "I mean, come on. You know what I mean. Just tell me. Please?"

I held my breath and waited.

With a hard scoff, he said, "What? You want me to tell you I'm sorry? For what? 'Stealing' it?" He shook his head. "Well, I'm not. So deal with it. Or don't. Your choice."

I wanted to scream in frustration. He still wasn't getting it. Or maybe he just didn't want to.

Desperately, I tried again. "I don't think you stole it, not technically."

"Then what do you think?"

"I think you cheated." I bit my lip. "And maybe you lied, at least a little." There was no "maybe" about it, and the lie hadn't been small. But heaven help me, I still wanted to hear it from him.

With another scoff, he said, "Right."

"Oh come on, Brody. You seriously don't think you did?"

"You wanna know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think you're nuts." He shook his head. "Hell, I knew you were nuts.