Page 33 of Hate You Up Close

“Dead serious,” he states. “I can’t make this shit up. My life is basically a fucked up reality show at this point.”

Holy shit.

It’s all starting to make sense now.

The photo on Skyar’s desk where she’s hugging a man who looks strangely similar to Elliot. The fact that she warned me about Elliot before she hired me. The way that she was so confident about me being the right person for the job. The way she hired me after one freaking interview.

Skylar knows Elliot better than anyone else. And she had the pleasure of hiring an assistant who wouldn't take his shit.

Smart girl.

All of that aside, why would she go and marry his brother? I barely know Skylar, but that seems beneath her.

“Wait…How did Skylar end up with your brother? She has been so nice, helpful, and easy to work with. I would never have imagined her doing something like that.”

“That’s the thing,” he chuckles under his breath. “It’s not an act. Skylar really is as nice and perfect as she seems. I don’t think she has a vindictive bone in her body. She genuinely has a good heart.”

I furrow my brows.

“So, what happened then? I don’t understand.”

“I’ll give you the short version, but that’s all you’re getting,” he grumbles. “And please don’t look at me with sad puppy dog eyes or feel sorry for me, because I don’t deserve an ounce of sympathy.”

I chuckle, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Not to be rude Elliot, but it would takea lotfor me to feel sorry for you,” I say, arching a brow. “So, I think we’re good there.”

“Good,” he replies before sucking in a deep breath.

“Skylar and I met years ago at Ace Financial and hit it off immediately. I was instantly drawn to her, and for some reason, she was into me too. A few weeks into dating, I asked her to come with me on a family vacation. We went on a seven-day cruise, and I was so wrapped up in work that I barely paid attention to her. So, she hung out with my brother the entire vacation and they ended up falling in love with each other. Some love at first sight bullshit.”

He shakes his head.

“Anyways,” he continues, “after the cruise, they stopped talking and kept their feelings for one another a secret. Me and Skylar continued dating for three years until she walked in on me fucking a random woman in a hotel room. So yeah, once she caught me cheating, she finally called it quits and started dating my brother.”

Oh my God.Talk about a shit show.

“Hold on,” I interject, tilting my head to the side. “She literally walked in on you cheating? Like mid-sex?”

“Yup,” he replies. “Butt ass naked.”

“Oh my God, Elliot,” I sneer. “That’s…really fucking shitty. How can you act so nonchalant about cheating on your girlfriend of three years?”

He scoffs.

“Everyone likes to forget that she cheated on me too. If we want to get technical, she cheated on mefirstwith my fucking brother. My own flesh and blood. Bottom line is that we weren't right for each other. She found her person, and I’ll never find mine, which I’ve come to accept. At the end of the day, I’m just thankful that chapter of my life is done.”

“So, what?” I retort. “You’ve just given up on dating for the rest of your life because of one bad relationship? You’re still so young. You have your whole life ahead of you.”

“It’s a lot bigger than one bad relationship, Roxanne,” he clips.

Oh, so we’re back to Roxanne now.

“My past…” he exhales a shaky breath. “There are reasons why I am the way I am. Reasons why I shut people out. When people get too close to me, they get hurt. And I won’t be responsible for anyone else's destruction but my own. Not anymore. That’s all you really need to know.”

The look on his face…It’s like he truly hates himself.

“Heartless is a little dramatic, Elliot,” I mutter. “I mean, you picked me up off the side of the road today. Aheartlessperson wouldn't do that. That counts for something, right?”