“Fuck,” I say, rushing after him.

“Teagan—”

I spin on Rich. “Don’t. I’m sorry about everything that happened. I’m sorry I ever made you believe we were meant for each other. I’m sorry I let Heath push me into something I didn’t want. But mostly, I’m sorry you don’t understand how fucking controlling and manipulative you are. We’re never getting back together, and if you don’t move the fuck on, I’ll file a restraining order. I don’t care if that means you plaster the internet with those pictures and tell everyone what a whore I am. I’m done with you. Done.”

I race out the door and run to the opposite end of the hall and up the stairs to our suite, unlocking the door and shutting it softly behind me. It’s too quiet in here, and the silence rings in my ears.

Carter is sitting on the couch, his head buried in his hands.

“When you walked in . . . it wasn’t what it looked like.” My voice is shaking, and when he lifts his head and levels that weary gaze on me, everything else seems insignificant. I don’t care about Rich or my parents or the pictures. I want to make him stop looking at me like that.

“That’s good,” Carter says, his voice rough, “because it looked pretty damn bad.”

“I don’t want him.”

“Because you don’t want anyone, right? Sure, you date and pretend you’re looking for that special someone, but you’ll never let any of them get too close. You never wanted me to get too close. If I did, I might have seen that you were a little broken inside, like the rest of us.”

I gape at him, anger slashing through me. “You’re going to accuse me of hiding my feelings? What about you, Carter? What about the way you’ve been sleeping around to avoid your pain and guilt? You can’t pretend that’s not a coping mechanism. Not with me. I lived that shit.”

Exhaustion lines his face as he shakes his head. “I showed you my ugly insides. But I don’t do lies, Teagan. Not with the people who matter to me. Not with you. If you don’t want your parents to know what happened between you and Rich all those years ago, then fine. Don’t tell them. But don’t hide behind me one second and arrange to meet him in private the next.”

I can’t catch my breath. I keep trying, but I can’t seem to force air into my lungs. “What do you mean, what happened between me and Rich? I told you.”

“Did you? Everything?” He huffs and drags a hand through his hair. “I talked to Sabrina tonight. She said you weren’t faithful to Heath.”

Of course Sabrina said something. After all these years, I knew she’d be the one. “She doesn’t know anything.”

“Really?” He grunts out a laugh, but his face twists into a nasty sneer. At me. He’s sneering at me. I want to hate him for that sneer. To walk away. But part of me will always believe I deserve to be seen the way he sees me right now. “Did you cheat on Heath with Rich?”