How to Resist Prince Charming(61)

He halted and blinked. “Lenna? What’s wrong?”

She bit down on the back of her teeth so hard she could hear them creak under the strain. Hands fisted down at her side, she hissed, “I just came to tell you what a vile piece of scum I think you are.”

“What?” His mouth fell open; the breath whooshed from his lungs.

“I did go my parents’ house tonight. And the entire evening, I had to sit there and listen to my father talk on and on about all the different women you parade through your office.”

“What?” he said again. Then he shook his head. “No.” After crinkling his brow, he let out an incredulous laugh. “Lenna, come on.” He reached for her once more, smiling as if he thought this was some kind of joke.

Yeah, ha, ha, so funny. He was caught cheating.

She lurched back. “Don’t even try to deny it.”

He finally scowled. “Hell, yes, I’m going to deny that. It’s a damn lie. The only woman that’s even seen the inside of my office since I started at Farris is my secretary, who’s gotta be close to seventy years old.”

“Oh, yeah? Then whose car is that?” Lenna folded her arms across her chest and sketched an eyebrow.

He glanced at the mustang, and his frown deepened. “It’s Tyler’s.”

“Um, hi again,” a male voice came from behind him.

Lenna couldn’t help but look. When her gaze latched onto Tyler, her insides burned with more anger. She couldn’t even nod in acknowledgement. Tears filled her eyes.

Spinning away, she hurried toward her car.

“Whoa.” Braxton shot out his door after her. He caught her arm and whirled her around. “What the hell?”

“Get your hands off me,” she spat and tugged away.

“Lenna. Jesus. Where is this coming from? What is going on?”

“What’s going on?” she repeated as she spun back to glare. “What’s going on? You’re cheating on me, you piece of slime. You’re—”

“No. I’m not,” he growled. When she could only glare at him, he hissed out a curse and ran his hands through his hair. “What exactly did your dad tell you?”

Unable to look into his beautiful, lying eyes, Lenna turned, wrapped her arms over her stomach and muttered, “He didn’t tell me anything. He just talked randomly throughout dinner to everyone about the brunette you sent two dozen roses and the redhead you brought to work—”

“Redhead? Roses? No.” Shaking his head, he repeated, “No, I don’t know what he’s talking about. I haven’t sent anyone flowers since my mother’s birthday last October. I wasn’t even working at Farris then. And those were carnations, not roses. I don’t...He’s lying, Lenna. You’re the only—”

“My father doesn’t lie,” Lenna barked, her back stiffening.

“Well, he did,” Braxton retorted.

She ground her hands into her hips. “Why would he lie about this?”

“Hell, how should I know? He’s your—” Suddenly, his eyes cleared. “Shit. He must know about us.”

Lenna shook her head. “No. He doesn’t know.”

Braxton nodded. “He has to. Lenna, there’s no other explanation.”

“Just give up, Braxton.” Her voice cracked as she spoke; another trickle of tears started down her cheek. “You can’t keep this from me any longer.”

He saw the moisture and his face changed, softened. “Lenna,” he whispered his reprimand, his eyes pleading as he reached out to wipe away a tear. “How could I cheat on you? Just think about that, will you? When would I even have the time? If I’m not at work, I’m with you. The only day I really can’t see you is Sunday and, obviously, I spend that with my freaking brother.”

Remembering the night she’d sat on his porch waiting an hour for him to get home and the night she’d called him to announce her new job, she shook her head, denying. He’d probably been with other women then, too.

She pushed his hand away when he reached for another tear. “He doesn’t know. And even if he did, he wouldn’t do this. My dad’s too direct. He would never try some underhanded manipu—”

“Oh, come on. The man hates my guts. I think this sounds exactly like something he’d do.”

Lenna stomped her foot. “Don’t talk about my father that way.”

Braxton lifted his hands to his forehead and then buried his fingers in his hair as he stared at her. His frustration was so tangible she could taste it in the air.

“Why can’t you believe me?” When his voice wavered, her resolve did too. She wanted to apologize for having no trust. She wanted to go to him and hold him, telling him how sorry she was.

But why would her father lie to her? To her entire family?

“What about Paris?” she asked. “You lied about that gift you bought in that little shop.”

He let out a degrading snort, and his eyes watered. Then his chin trembled. “You know what? I did lie about that stupid picture. It wasn’t for my sister. So, doesn’t that tell you how bad of a liar I am? Doesn’t that tell you I’m speaking the truth now?”

More tears flooded Lenna’s lashes and she quickly reached up to wipe them away. “Then who was it for?”