The mention of money and his privileged background seemed to snap his control. “Jessa, that’s enough.”

“One thing gets a little difficult, and you run away like a coward. When it’s not all about looking pretty on your arm at charity events or being able to schmooze your partners, I’m out. I’m a liability.” She forced him to look at her. Followed his gaze and stuck her face in front of him. “How could you?”

“I tried. I really . . . I didn’t want this.”

She thought she saw a tiny sliver, room for her pain to get through to him. She held on to his jacket and tugged him closer to her. “No . . . no. Please. Today is just . . . We can’t let the Bartholomews win.”

“This is about you and your choices. Your priorities.” He peeled her hands off him and shifted until he broke out of the trap between her and the chair. “The condo is in my name.”

Her house. The one thing she had left. “You can’t.”

“I’ll be back tomorrow night, but you need to leave. You can stay with Faith while we figure this out.”

She tried to step back and look at her life, and the picture made her heave. No job. No house. All stability gone, taking her reputation along with it. “This is my house.”

“It’s actually my house. You moved in with me.”

She shoved him. Both hands on his chest, and still he barely moved. “I will burn it down first.”

“Listen to me.” He grabbed her hands and held her still, keeping her from punching him. “If you destroy one thing or take even one glass that’s not yours, I will come after you and ruin whatever you haven’t already destroyed. Have some dignity and self-respect.”

She yanked her hands out of his hold. “So, the real Tim finally showed up.”

“You don’t want to mess with me, Jessa.”

He was weak and pathetic. Lacked staying power. Things got a little rocky, and he bolted. She saw that now.

She forced her trembling insides to calm and let the rage running through her pull her out of the emotional drowning. She would show him. Show Covington and the other partners. Show Darren Bartholomew.

She did not lose. “You know what, Tim? You aren’t worth it.”

Chapter Thirty-Three
Gabby

Gabby stepped into her foyer, arms loaded down with bags of groceries, and kicked the front door shut behind her. She bought food, thinking she could take meals over to Liam and Kennedy, maybe lure them into talking to her, or at least sitting at a table with her. She’d be happy for any contact right now, even the yelling kind.