Page 64 of Anything Goes

“No, I’m not kidding. You men think that you can treat us any kind of way and we’re supposed to just get over it. We have feelings.”

“I know that!”

“Do you really?” she said, getting in my face. “Did you even console her after you said what you said? Or did you just leave her high and dry?”

“Alauni, don’t do this. Don’t try to make me out to be some horrible person. There’s a lot more to this story.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve heard enough. You messed around with some chick, got her pregnant, made it clear that you weren’t raising a child with her, and then left her ass to deal with the situation on her own.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“I don’t give a damn what it was like. At the end of the day, I don’t need any of the drama that she’s trying to bring. I’ve had enough of that.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I need some space.”

“Space? But you haven’t even let me explain—”

“Law, you found a way to control the outcome of a situation without outright telling her what to do. You manipulated her. Period. I’ve been with a manipulator. I’m not interested in being involved with another one,” she said, rushing towards the door.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Never in my life had I been called a manipulator. But instead of losing my temper and getting all defensive, I remained calm.

“Alauni, please don’t go. Let’s finish talking.”

“I don’t want to talk right now. I’ve got enough on my plate as it is.”

“I understand that—”

“Clearly, you don’t,” she said before yanking the door open and storming out. “And don’t follow me. Just leave me alone.”

I stopped dead in my tracks, my body forced to do what she’d asked. On one hand, I expected her to get upset, but I didn’t expect her to turn the tables around on me. Not like that.

Closing the door, I glanced around the room in confusion.

Damn, did I manipulate the situation?

Before now, I hadn’t given it much thought.

Hearing my cell ring, I hurried to grab it.

It was Alauni.

Hoping that she’d changed her mind, I answered. “Are you ready to talk now?”

“Hell no! I called because I think I dropped my keys in your apartment. Would you bring them down please?”

“Only if you agree to listen to me.”

Blowing out a heavy breath, she said, “Law, I’m done talking about this.”

“I see that, but I still have quite a bit to say on the matter. For starters, I'm not trying to downplay your feelings, but I feel like there’s another reason that you reacted the way that you did. It's almost like something else is bothering you, and you’re taking it out on me.”

“Oh, trust me, learning that you talked a woman into getting an abortion is the only thing that’s bothering me right now.”

“Like I said before, it wasn’t like that. Come back to my apartment so we can finish talking about it.”

“I’m not coming back up there, Law.”