Cruel Fortune (Cruel #2)(43)

“Lewis is a fucking liar.”

Lark shrugged. We both knew that he was. No point in arguing that.

“I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

I clenched and unclenched my hands. “Yeah well, she spat in my face that I’d fucking slept with half of the Upper East Side. No wonder she had fire in her eyes. Who do you think told her?”

Lark pursed her lips. “Was it supposed to be a secret?”

I narrowed my eyes at her.

She held up her hands in surrender. “Everyone knows you did, Penn. All spring, it was a different model, socialite, long-legged beauty. I’m not sure why you’re surprised that Natalie found out.”

“We weren’t even together!” I snapped. “And she’s holding it against me when she was the one who said that we were never going to see each other again. That flying a thousand fucking miles couldn’t change anything.”

“I know,” she whispered. “But look at it through her eyes. She cared for you, and then as soon as you broke up, you slept with every woman who walked past you.”

“Not all of them,” I said carefully, my voice on a razor’s edge. “Not Katherine.”

“Oh boy,” Lark said. She glanced my way and waited. “I assume there’s a story there?”

“Katherine ruined the one thing that was real for me,” Penn said. “So, I fucked a few brainless socialites to piss her off. It was more of a chore than anything. But I was going after Katherine in the best way I could. I picked up each of the dumb friends she associated with and was seen with on Page Six.”

“Jesus Christ, you’re ruthless,” Lark said.

I shook my head. “It was stupid. While it pissed Katherine off, eventually, I just got fucking bored out of my mind and gave up. It did nothing to make me forget Natalie.”

“That’s why you suddenly disappeared off the map this summer? You went from high society to a recluse in a matter of months.”

“Yeah.”

I’d thrown myself into work afterward. Put all of that behind me and tried to focus on research. On writing about how meaningless sex was moral despite the standard view that a relationship made it safer and better. All the while, I was pining for the one person I’d really wanted to have a relationship with. The person who had made me see meaningless sex was never as good as her.

Lark gripped my elbow and veered me into the elevator. We took it downstairs without a word and then out into the late New York night.

I still wanted to race after Natalie. Figure out how to make it right. Break a few of Lewis’s bones. But I’d probably only do more damage than I had. It was hard to think about that when my body was saying, Go, run, fix it.

“Well, if you still love her, then this isn’t the end,” Lark said as we fell into step together, heading back toward my place.

“Yeah. This definitely isn’t the fucking end,” I swore into the night. “I might have lost the battle, but I’m not going to lose the war.”





Natalie





19





We were silent on the ride back to Lewis’s apartment.

I didn’t have words for what had just happened. The night was a blur of bad decisions, and once again, I felt out of my depth with this world. Exhausted from trying to keep up with the nightmare unfolding before my eyes.

Thankfully, it was a short ride, and we were back in the comfort of his home once more. I was seriously regretting having ever left this house. I should have told him to deal with work tomorrow and stayed in. That bubble bath was sounding awfully appealing.

Lewis went to the record player and switched out the vinyl to something soft and romantic. A balm to the hectic night we’d had.

“Wine?” he asked with a smile that said he wasn’t the least bit affected by the evening’s events.

“Sure,” I agreed easily. I slid out of my heels and sank into a seat on the sofa. It was more comfortable than it looked. I could fall asleep right then and there as the adrenaline fled my body.

Lewis returned with two glasses of red wine and took the seat next to me. I was shocked that he wasn’t angrier. I’d been alone in a room with Penn Kensington. I’d admitted that he’d kissed me. And he didn’t seem upset. I’d thought that he’d be murderous after that.

“Can I ask you something?” I took a careful sip of my wine and then turned to face him.

“Anything.”

“Why aren’t you mad at me?”

He arched an eyebrow. “Do I have something to be mad at you for?”

“Penn and I kissed. You found us alone. I mean…most guys would be mad.”

“I am mad,” he conceded. My stomach flipped as I waited for his wrath to finally be unveiled. “But not with you.”

“Oh,” I said. Just a breath escaping my lips.

“What happened tonight wasn’t your fault. Not any of it. Not even dealing with Camden.”

My face flushed. “How did you hear about that?”

“Jane mentioned it when I went looking for you. Camden Percy is a right bastard who was high as fuck. I’m sorry that I left you alone to deal with him. With all of it.”

“Camden was…I don’t know,” I said, shuddering to think of what might have happened if Court hadn’t stepped in. “Why is he marrying Katherine if he hates her?”