Even when I know they’re coming, the words are a blow to my gut. “No,” I say between clenched teeth. “I never cheated on Heath.”

“So you’ve told me everything? Shown me all your ugly insides?” He stares at me, and when I don’t answer, he nods. “Exactly. You have no plans on opening up about what’s really between you and Rich. But why would you? This is just pretend. You and me? This is over the second your family leaves town.”

“I never said that.”

“I offered you more. I told you what I want. You didn’t say no, but where I come from, when a woman doesn’t say yes, you take it as a fucking no.”

My chest shudders as I pull in a breath. This hurts. “And what about you? You got all this from Sabrina? Did you fuck her tonight too?”

Those dark chocolate eyes go cold. “You know I wouldn’t.”

“I know you did. Last month when she was here, you fucked her. You want to know why I keep pulling away?” I ask, folding my arms. “That’s why. Because no matter how attracted I am to you, no matter how good we are in bed together . . . I’m not interested in being one of your days of the week.”

“Jesus, Teagan. You know I want more than that.”

I know he does—I do. I knew the objection was bullshit the second it came out of my mouth. “I can’t.” God, this hurts, and I know I’m making it worse, but I’m so scared. I feel my heart breaking again—breaking like it did when Heath accused me of wanting Rich more than him, accused me of doing what he asked and liking it too much, breaking like it did when the chief of police came to the door hours after our worst fight and told me Heath was dead. I can’t love someone like that again. “I’m sorry, Carter, but I can’t.” He stands and steps toward me, but I’m already backing out of the room. “I’m going to stay with Saanvi tonight. I understand if you want to leave.”

“I’ll go to the wedding. I’ll pretend we’re whatever you want me to pretend to be.”

I swallow hard. The tears are coming, and once they start, I’ll be a mess. “You don’t have to.”

“I’ll be there,” he says. “I made you a promise.”

You made me fall in love with you.

I step into the hall and pull the door shut behind me.

Carter

Teagan didn’t come back last night. Three different times, I headed toward Saanvi’s suite and made myself turn around. We were both angry. Hurt.

I still don’t know what to believe about her and Rich, but it looked bad. She was in his room, inches from him, and he was half-naked with his pants unbuttoned. If I’d found them like that in our room, I’d have assumed Rich had pushed his way in, would’ve tackled him to protect her. But that wasn’t the case. She went to him. They planned that meeting and waited until everyone else was gone to have it.