Page 21 of Point of Contention

Shaking my head, I said, “You can’t do that anymore. You can’t get involved.”

Her mouth dropped open.

“My relationship with Cabot is not your concern.”

“Ry—”

I pushed off the door. “No. I’m serious, Greer. I love you, and I know you’re just being protective of me, but I got myself into this mess, and—”

“Exactly. It’s a wholemess.” She propped her hands on her hips. “Maybe if I’d been paying attention, you wouldn’t have gotten so wrapped up in him. You wouldn’t have been allobsessed.”

My mouth dropped open. “Obsessed?”

She huffed. “You know what I mean.”

I did. I just didn’t like her saying it. I had been obsessed with Cabot. Heck, maybe I still was. But that was not her concern. Shaking my head, I pushed past her and walked to the stairs. “Honestly, Greer,” I said as I paused halfway up and looked down at her. “You’ve beenobsessedwith Lacey for months, and I haven’t said anything about it. I definitely haven’t judged you.” I paused because the words hurt me even as I knew they hurt her by the pained expression on her face. “I haven’t commented about your relationship, haven’t said a word about you going to the Rabbit Hole…” I licked my lips as I held her gaze. “Why is my relationship so fucking intriguing for you?”

Greer’s eyes narrowed angrily. “Babe, it’s intriguing fora lotof people, remember?” Her voice was quiet, scathing. “You’re on the fuckingnews, Rylan, the big CEO’s dirty little whore.” With that, she turned quickly and headed to the kitchen, leaving me gaping down at the empty foyer, my heart raw with a fresh bruise.

Movement to the left caught my eye and I looked up as the professor stepped out of his study. Becauseof coursehe’d been in there the whole time.Of coursehe’d heard everything.

Of coursehe’d probably seen me kiss Cabot and damn near lose control in response to the passionate way he kissed me.

But the professor didn’t say anything, he just looked up at me with those knowing, sympathetic eyes that were so much like Greer’s, and I shook my head as the tears began to fall, then climbed the stairs and hurried into my room.

Greer had just hurt me, had weaponized my mistakes, but knew she didn’t truly think of me that way. She was angry; I’d deal with her later.

Cabot wanted me to come back to Reed Tower, back to the internship.

Did I want that?

I mean, yeah, obviously. I’d worked my ass off to get that internship. Losing it had been nearly as devastating as losing Cabot. But going back? Returning to the scene of the crime? The knowing looks. The accusatory stares.

Everyone would have an opinion about me, about what I’d done.

Could I handle that?

Honestly, I didn’t think so. I was strong, but was I that strong? Could I work alongside my old friends knowing they believed the worst about me?

Ugh. The thought made my stomach twist with nausea.

Marisa very clearly hated me for what I’d done. How could I face her again?

And Blanca? What must she think of me? She’d been someone I’d wanted to work with, learn from, but instead I’d been whisked away to work with the boss himself, and who knows what she thought about that.

She probably hated me. Or at the very least, didn’t take me seriously.

I pushed up and stared at my closed bedroom door.

That was a theme, wasn’t it? People not taking me seriously. My own best friend thought I couldn’t even think for myself or make decisions without her help.

Well, screw that. I pushed up and began pacing. Screw everyone who thought I’d hooked up with Cabot to further my career. Screw Greer for thinking I couldn’t navigate my own shitstorm without her intervention.

Screw Marisa. And Hector. And Blanca.

And anyone else who didn’t take me seriously.

Rylan Blake was going to prove them all wrong. I would return to Reed Romance with my head held high.