Cooper stood still, watching me come undone, without any movement. Even as my emotional walls were clearly crumbling in front of him, he refused to let even one layer peel back on his own barricade.
Something snapped and I had to get away. Even though there was tons of fresh air all around me, I felt like I was suffocating. Cooper’s very presence was sucking all the oxygen and leaving me desperate to breathe.
I roughly wiped my cheeks and pushed past Cooper to get my helmet. He grabbed my wrist as I reached out. His fingers locked around tight and I couldn’t move. My eyes flashed to his and I tugged my arm back, but it barely moved a centimeter in his grasp.
“Let me go,” I snarled through gritted teeth.
“I thought we had established the fact that I didn’t get you fired from Spotlight? As for all the other things you are accusing me of, I guess we have a different perspective on recent events.”
A hollow laugh erupted from my lips. “Are you serious?”
The look in his eyes assured me that he was, but it didn’t matter. He was too late.
“Cooper, everything you’ve told me has been a lie, designed to manipulate me and keep me in your control. Even right now, look at what you’re doing,” I said, dropping my gaze to my arm for emphasis.
He released me and quickly stuffed his hand into his pocket. “What have I lied to you about?”
“Everything!” I said, tossing my hands into the air. “I still don’t know who sent those pictures to Rita, if it wasn’t you. No one else has a motive! You do. You wanted me here, at Brighton Enterprises. That was your goal from day one. At least, that’s how it looks now. Every time I strayed from your master plan, you would intervene.”
“Because I care about you, Allie! Why won’t you listen to me?” He exploded, taking two short steps away and then coming right back to me.
His words hit me like a nine-pound hammer to the heart. It was what I’d been waiting for him to say all alone, and yet, in light of everything, it seemed so pointless. If this was the best Cooper could do, it wasn’t going to be enough. He had to know that. Right?
He turned away and raked his hand through his hair.
“Then what about Tessa! Why are you sneaking around in the office at night with her? Telling her she has to be discreet?”
“I—I can’t say. But it’s work-related,” he said.
“That’s more bullshit! Cooper, Spotlight doesn’t have the Plush account anymore. So, tell me the truth! What was she doing here?”
I searched his face as he processed my demand.
“See, exactly! This, this is why I can’t do any of this anymore.”
I shoved the helmet on and tried to fling my leg over the bike but stopped midway and spun back to him, as a fresh batch of angry thoughts filled my mind.
“And, even if that wasn’t a lie, if meeting with Tessa in your office after hours isn’t some sort of scandal, then what about Angela? Hmm? You still haven’t told me what that’s all about. As soon as I brought it up this morning, you shut me out.”
Cooper released a slow sigh. “You want to know who Angela is? Fine, come on.”
He gestured towards his car, which I hadn’t noticed was parked two rows over from where I’d parked Cherry Bomb.
I laughed again. “You are out of your mind if you think I am going anywhere with you. And, if you even think to haul me over your shoulder and cart me off like last time, I’ll call the fucking cops.”
“Then we’ll take your bike,” he said, gesturing to Cherry Bomb.
This time, I threw my head back and laughed. The idea of Cooper on my bike made quite the mental picture. “Right. Cooper, it doesn’t matter. I’m going home. Alone.”
“This is a one-time offer, Allison.”
I hesitated, hovering over the seat on my bike. I knew I should just start the engine, peel out of the garage, and never look back. My brain was practically screaming inside my head, urging me to do just that. But then there was my heart. That thumping, life-giving force inside my chest that couldn’t seem to let Cooper go, no matter how infuriating he was or what tricks he pulled from his sleeves.
“You don’t have a helmet,” I said.
Cooper was visibly jarred by my observation. He looked down at his empty hands, as if suddenly proper riding gear would materialize. It was almost comical to watch Mr. Control be so stumped.
“Looks like we’re taking my ride, then,” he said, his face snapping back to his normal cool, collected, slightly mischievous grin. It happened so fast, like a set of pictures taken seconds apart.