Page 107 of Point of Contention

“Fine.”

“Good. I’ll go home today and tell my mom what’s going on.”

“And then you’ll come back tonight?”

She sighed but a smile danced at the corners of her mouth as she reached up to cup my cheek. “I said yes, didn’t I? Now give me some time to prepare, okay? It’s kind of a big step.”

It was. I knew that it was. But… after being away from her, I wanted—needed—the comfort of knowing she was here. Living with me. Sharing my space.Mine.

But I couldn’t be greedy. Her mother and her best friend loved her too, and they deserved to have fair warning that she was moving away from them. Especially while the pain of losing the professor was still so fresh for them all.

“Fine,” I finally conceded. I didn’t like it, but if I was going to be in a relationship with this stubborn woman, I had to learn which battles to fight and when—otherwise we’d always be battling. “Take whatever time you need, and then come home.”

Her shoulders rose and fell on a deep breath, then she smiled up at me. “Home.”

“With me,” I clarified.

She nodded. “Where else would I rather be?”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Cabot

The car pulled to a stop at the curb and I climbed out, glancing up from my phone as I stepped into the lobby of Reed Tower, then froze as my sweeping gaze landed on the brunette standing near the security kiosk.

My shoulders tensed, jaw tightening as I turned and strode toward her. “You have thirty seconds to explain what you’re doing here.”

Stella’s eyes widened. “I…”

“Tick-tock, Ms. Whitney.”

“I came to tell you that I’m sorry.”

I barked out a laugh. “Please. It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?” Striding past her and through the metal detector, I glanced at the guard on duty. “She’s not allowed in the building. Handle that or I’ll see to it that you are also no longer allowed in the building.”

His eyes widened in his round face. “Yes, sir.”

“Cabot, please—”

“Mr. Reed,”I quickly corrected, spinning around to face her once more. “You lost the privilege of addressing me so informally.” My teeth ground as anger tightened every muscle in my frame. “Leave the premises, Ms. Whitney. Nothing you have to say will make a difference. You’re sorry?” I shook my head in disgust. “Tell it to my fucking attorney.”

Stella blanched, then swallowed, the sound audible in the still-quiet lobby. “Please, you have to believe me. I never wanted to hurt you.”

I scoffed.

Her eyes searched mine in desperation. “I hate that I did it.”

It.Exposing private photos from inside the Rabbit Hole to the public.

It.Endangering the livelihood, the privacy of every member of the club.

It.Threatening Mina’s income, the life she’d worked so hard for.

It.Damaging Rylan’s name, her career, her fuckingfuture.

It. Betraying me in the worst way I could think of.

“I…I—” she stammered. “I was paid.”