Page 92 of Ruin

“No.”

“Fine. The blue one then.”

“I won’t match you.”

She exhales sharply, eyeliner poised in her hand. “It won’t matter, Tommy. It’s not like we’re ever next to each other at this thing, anyway.”

I frown. “Yes, we are. At dinner. The pictures. If we don’t match, it looks off.”

“We didn’t do pictures last year. And you missed the dinner.”

I grin, remembering my fist deep inside her pussy, her period blood dripping down my arm. I slide my arms around her from behind, circling her waist. “We were a little busy. And messy,” I say, nuzzling her neck.

She rolls her eyes and wriggles out of my grip. “I’m doing my makeup, Tommy.”

I step back, watching as she deftly applies eyeliner. She’s so fucking beautiful. But she’s so… cold.

My gaze falls on the mess of the suit on the floor. I’m supposed to meet with Councilman Donovan tonight and discuss his upcoming campaign. If I help make this happen,then get him into the Senate, he said he’d endorse me for my own campaign. Gi will be the queen of New York City.

But I can’t find the tie.

“You really think I should wear the black one?”

She drops her eyeliner on the counter, turning to me abruptly. “I’m going to NYU for law school.”

“I know,” I say slowly. What does that have to do with the tie?

“And I’m going to stay at my place on Bleeker Street during the week.” She says the words forcefully, looking me in the eye and gripping the counter behind her like it’s holding her up.

The ground tilts. “You want us to stay at your old apartment on Bleeker? No, your dad bought that place, and I’m not living off him. That was the whole reason I bought this place, to give you independence from him.”

Her voice hardens to a point sharp enough to draw blood. “Well, now I need independence from you.”

The words gut me.

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“It means you’re not invited, Tommy.” She turns back to the counter, stuffing makeup into the little bag that matches her dress, and slips on her shoes.

I grit my teeth. “You’re not living in the Village without me. You’re not living anywhere without me.”

Her eyes flash as she whirls on me. “Except that I am.”

She starts toward the door, and I grab her arm, too rough, whipping her around to look at me. She jerks away, but I don’t let go.

“That’s not happening, Gi. If you want to move closer to NYU, fine. We’ll find a place together, but not one yourfather controls.”

“Wearen’t moving anywhere. I am going back to my apartment on Bleeker during the week and, maybe, if I feel like it and you suddenly have time for me, I might spend some weekends with you. But I’m done being in this relationship alone.”

I can barely process what she’s saying. The air leaves my lungs. “Are you…leaving me?”

The words come out quietly. I’m more in shock than angry. My heart is about to implode.

She holds my gaze, her silence saying everything. The floor feels like it’s caving beneath me.

How long has she been wanting this, planning this? Why didn’t she tell me? Or did she? I flip through the last months, the last year in my head. She hasn’t been okay since I missed her 21st birthday dinner, and before that, she was hot and cold.

She finally exhales, her voice low, even. “I shouldn’t have started this now. We’ll talk about it later.”