Page 6 of Hate Me Like You Mean It

“There was evidence,” I wanted to say. “And she didn’t deny it.”

But there was no point.

I could scream. I could yell. But he still wouldn’t hear me.

Dom’s head tilted ever so slightly to one side as he studied me. “Was it everything you dreamed it would be? Finally getting what you wanted?” He was too close. The warm, opulent notes of his cologne were starting to slowly squeeze my airways like a python constricting around its prey. “Was it worth stabbing her in the back and humiliating her the way you did, just to get rid of me?”

“That’snotwhat happened. I loved Rosie. I would’ve never—” I cut off when he laughed.

“Jesus fucking Christ. Are you capable of stringing together a single fucking sentence that isn't complete bullshit?”

I could get rid of himnowif I wanted.

I could talk to my parents. My brother. The extensive team of specialized lawyers my family kept on retainer, and havea restraining order filed against him with a snap of my fingers. I could end this whole thing—permanently eradicate himfrom my life—and all it would take was one phone call.

Dominic may have been taking full advantage of the perks, power, and influence that came with building a multibillion-dollar empire from scratch, but he was still new money.

There was a difference. He just didn’t know it yet.

So do it.

Leave and make the call. Right now.

I reached for my bag but paused when an eerie, familiar sense of unease and restless panic crawled down the back of my neck.

“Come on, Alice. It’s just us,” he drawled with a bitter smirk. “It’s you and me. There’s no one else here, so just fucking admit it. Admit you lied—that you set her up to get rid of me—and I’ll go away. Forever. No more toying with your life behind the scenes. No more revenge-seeking or messing with your family… all you have to do is tell me the truth.”

My molars ground as I held his gaze, refusing to back down. “Iamtelling you the truth. I didn’t set her up, and I didn’t lie.”

We were at a stalemate. He wasn’t going to get what he wanted from me, and I wasn’t stupid enough to want anything else from him.

“Are we done here?” I asked.

He held up a finger and glanced down at his watch. Then, almost as though he’d willed it, the shattered contents of my purse rattled against a brief, vibratingbzzz.

Dominic’s mouth slanted into a slow, wolfish grin. “You might want to check that.”

As tempted as I was to brush him off, I knew better. There was a good chance whatever fucked-up thing he’d done had an added time-sensitivity buff.

Still, I took my time, brushing aside a broken lipstick cap and my keys to fish out my phone. I swiped at the screen, unbothered by the fresh crack running down the middle.

Whatdidmake me stiffen, however, was the notification that had popped up.

It was an email from the employment agency.

The one I’d been working with over the last fifteen months.

The one that had landed me every one of the seven jobs I’d been fired from.

The one that had randomly reached out after I’d quit Charmed, claiming that employees from there were really sought after, given the matchmaking firm’s ultracompetitive nature and status, as well as the founder’s name recognition. “We’ve been reaching out to the few employees who recently left. I’m not sure what your plans are for next steps, but we’d love to keep your resume on file, especially if you’re interested in exploring opportunities in different industries.”

God fucking damn it.

He hadn’t been acquiring companies just to have me fired from them. It was the other way around. He’d been using the employment agency to lure me to the ones he’d already acquired.

Crafty motherfucker. How hadn’t I put the pieces together earlier? How the hell had I fallen for it in the first place?

Keeping my expression blank, I scanned the email.