Cruel Fortune (Cruel #2)(41)

I calmly met his steely blue gaze. “Maybe I realized only your world is too small for me to be in it.”

“That’s bullshit, Natalie, and you know it. Lewis and I live in the same world. That’s why I’m here. That’s why he’s here. You might think you can escape it, but you can’t. There is no in-between. No half-in, half-out. You’ll get sucked in, and you won’t be able to get out.”

“You’re wrong. This isn’t my world. I’m just here to write. Everything else is secondary.”

“Then why are you with him?” Penn demanded.

“I don’t want to…”

“I know you don’t want to talk about it. But I don’t give a damn. I want to talk about it.”

Something snapped inside of me. “Why do you even care?” I demanded. “You’ve clearly moved on. Fucked half of the Upper East Side, right? Back to your old ways?” I jerked the door against his arm, and he finally gave. The door sliding open to the hallway beyond. “I don’t want to hear any more of your hypocrisy.”

Penn opened his mouth to respond, but I never heard it. I just saw his face close off and his eyes narrow, and then suddenly, a throat cleared behind me.

I turned to the open door in surprise, completely caught off guard.

“There you are, Natalie. I was looking for you,” Lewis drawled, his eyes fixed on Penn.





Natalie





17





Fuck.

Well, just…fuck.

I didn’t know what to say. I was standing alone in a bedroom with Penn Kensington. Yes, we had kissed. Well…mostly, he’d kissed me, and then we’d yelled at each other a lot. But still. It definitely looked bad from Lewis’s point of view.

“Lewis,” Penn said stiffly.

“What’s up, man?” Lewis said. He nudged the door open a bit wider and even held his hand out. “Long time no see. You coming back out in the real world now?”

Penn looked down at Lewis’s hand, and for a second, I thought he wouldn’t shake it. That he’d throw the punch right then and there. But he did take it. They shook a quick, hard shake and then released.

“Semester is over. Easier to get out. Figure society missed me. Going to be out all the time now,” he said pointedly.

“Ah, just like this spring then?” Lewis asked with a grin.

Penn narrowed his eyes. “Not exactly my plan.”

“Well, it’ll be good to have you back. Can’t stay in that ivory tower forever.”

“Oh, I have no intention of staying away.” Penn slid his hands into his pockets and raised his eyebrows.

“I was surprised to see Lark here. She asked me to do shots.”

“That right? Both of us out in one night,” Penn mused with a glint in his eyes.

“Yes, how…convenient.”

They were saying more with their eyes than with words. I gathered that Penn must have sent Lark to distract Lewis, so we could be alone. It was…sneaky. Even for him.

“We should go,” I told Lewis.

Lewis finally looked down at me. His depthless, dark eyes filled with warmth. “If you’re ready to go, we can. But I think Jane was looking for you.”

I could see Penn’s jaw set at that. I didn’t know if it was because of Lewis’s obvious affection or because I was acquainted with his brother’s girlfriend. Maybe both.

“I’ll see Jane later this week. I’m ready to go.” I hugged my arms to my chest.

“What’s the rush?” Penn smoothly stepped in. “It’s been a while since I’ve been out. We should open a bottle and make it like old times.”

“Penn,” I hissed warningly.

“I would, but I just follow where the lady goes,” Lewis said with a wide, knowing smile.

I gaped up at him. Jesus Christ, what was he doing? What were they both doing? Their Upper East Side was showing and I had to admit, it didn’t look good on either of them.

“Are we done here?” I finally snapped. “Are you two done measuring dicks?”

“Natalie,” Lewis said placatingly.

“No, you’re no better than him right now. This is stupid.”

Penn snorted, and I turned my gaze on him. “Don’t even start.”

He held his hands up in surrender, a cheeky grin on his face. “I would never.”

I rolled my eyes. How the hell had I gotten to this moment? I’d agreed to a chill evening out with Lewis at a party. I hadn’t bargained for cocaine, Camden, and then Penn.

“Let’s just go.” I pushed past Lewis and out into the hallway.

I heard Penn curse under his breath from the room I’d vacated, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t even look back to see if Lewis was following as I stormed down the hallway and back into the living room. The music had gotten louder, the dancing more scandalous, the alcohol flowing freely. It was no different than any party I’d gone to in college or with Amy after. But it pissed me off way more right now.

“Natalie,” Lewis said as I angled for the exit. He reached out and stopped me. “Hold on. Don’t run out of here.”

I sighed heavily and then looked up at him. “That interaction between you two was horrible.”