Those Three Words: A Single Dad, Billionaire Boss Romance(70)
I laugh. “That is none of your business and when did I ever throw myself at him? That’s your thing. And last time I checked, he was a pretty willing participant in me being ‘spread-eagle’ on his desk.”
Her face grows red and her hands curl into tight balls. “I tried to warn you, you will never be the woman he needs. You’re just a silly little girl.”
“Oh, and let me guess. You are the woman he needs? Well, isn’t that convenient.” I shake my head and turn to leave. “Forget the tea, I’m done with this.”
“I was the woman he needed. I was there for him when his wife died.” She points her finger at her chest dramatically every time she says the word I. “I was the woman that held him when he was grieving, when he was at his lowest. And I was the woman who he came to for physical release and intimacy.”
I shake my head. No, this can’t be happening. He said—
“Oh yes, little Margot.” She steps closer, her menacing eyes boring into mine and I know she’s eating this up. “He’s been in my bed too.”
My stomach lurches and I feel like I’m about to lose my lunch on the kitchen floor. I’m in total shock.
“I—I don’t understand.”
Our interaction is interrupted when a clueless Graham comes waltzing through the kitchen door.
“Afternoon, ladies. Thought I’d come home for lunch and finish the workday here.”
He gives Miss Perry a curt nod and turns to me with a quick smile before grabbing the refrigerator handle.
My face must look like I feel because he spins back around to me. “What’s wrong, Margot?”
“You slept with her?” My voice is shaky with emotion as I point my finger toward Miss Perry.
His eyes dart from me to her, then back to me, his skin going pale. I don’t need him to confirm it; it’s written all over his face.
“How could you? When? You said—” The words catch in my throat and I feel like I’m about to hyperventilate.
“It was years ago; it meant nothing, Margot. A mistake.” I see him flash an angry look toward Miss Perry.
“It certainly didn’t seem like it,” she snips and he shouts at her.
“Leave the fucking room!”
He doesn’t have to tell her twice; she stiffens before quickly exiting.
“Margot, please—” He reaches out for me, but I step back, recoiling.
“I asked you point blank and you lied to me. I gave you an opportunity to be honest with me.”
He opens his mouth and then closes it again. “Technically I didn’t lie because you asked if there was ever a relationship between her and me. There wasn’t. It was one time and I wanted to forget it happened.”
I shake my head. “You fucking asshole.” Tears start to fall.
“Margot, baby, please. I was wrong and I’m sorry I kept it from you. I fucked up.”
“You knew that’s why she hates me. When I brought it up the other day you acted like I was making it up. I heard you guys talking a while back and she was telling you to fire me, that she didn’t trust me. You know that’s why she didn’t call me back after my first interview. You knew all that!”
“Now, Margot, please. You’re making accusations. Let’s focus on the issue at hand. Don’t blow this out of proportion.”
I can feel the anger radiating off my body. I can’t look at him right now.
“I can’t do this,” I say and walk out of the kitchen.
He follows after me, grabbing my hand and spinning me around. “We are going to talk about this like adults. I’m sick of you being irrational and running away when we have problems.”
“How am I supposed to talk to you when you’re gaslighting me? I just told you how I feel, how your actions made me feel, and you just invalidated all of them. Telling me I’m irrational and blowing things out of proportion?”
He stares at me, eyes wide.
“How would you feel, Graham?” I take a step toward him.
“How would you feel if I’d slept with a man that I worked with. That I saw every single day. That lived in my home and I didn’t tell you about it.”
I can see he’s getting uncomfortable. He drags his hand nervously through his hair.
“Even worse, what if I lied to you about it? A lie of omission is still a damn lie. How would you feel? You certainly acted irrational when you thought there was something between me and Hank. You certainly were blowing things out of proportion when Garrett said two words to me.”
He shakes his head. “That’s different.”
“Ha! How? Enlighten me.”
“I was trying to protect you from guys who just wanted to sleep with you, use you—”
“First of all, Hank wasn’t trying to sleep with me!” I shout the words and I don’t care if I’m being childish. “I’m sick of explaining that to you. And Garrett? If you trusted me, even if he was trying to sleep with me, then you’d be fine letting me talk to him because you’d know I wouldn’t do that to you. But clearly, you don’t trust me, and you know why? Because you’re shady. You can’t be trusted so you think I can’t.”
I jab my finger in his chest and he reaches out and grabs it, pulling me forward. I stumble into him, and he grabs the back of my head, his lips crashing down on mine.