Bad Boys Do (Donovan Brothers Brewery 2)
Page 53
“You really want to know? Fine. I think it’s embarrassing. A thirty-five-year-old woman hooking up with some stud muffin in his twenties. It looks desperate, and I feel sorry for you.”
Olivia took a horrified step back. “I can’t believe you’d say that to me. You, of all people.”
“I’m the only one who’ll tell you the truth, because I love you.”
She felt her mouth fall open, but she couldn’t make any words come out.
“You know I still love you. So why are y
ou doing this?”
“You’re insane,” she finally managed to get out. “Completely certifiable. I should turn you in to your department chair.”
“I didn’t turn you in! Christ, you know I wouldn’t do that. I’d be the first one you’d suspect, and I can’t risk making you angry.”
“You’re damn right you can’t,” she snapped. “And how dare you call me an embarrassment. You chase after girls half your age like you’re trying to relive your youth.”
“I’ve never chased after any of them,” he countered. “Not even you.”
Olivia dug her nails into her arms and didn’t let him see anything but scorn on her face. He was right. He hadn’t chased after her. He’d groomed her. He’d turned her into the one willing to risk everything to have him.
She raised her chin. “Maybe someday you should consider taking on a challenge.”
“Oh, is that what you’re doing?”
Actually, it kind of was, but not in the way he thought. “I didn’t come here to rehash our problems. I just want to know why you did it.”
“I didn’t tell anyone your little secret, Olivia.”
“Then who did?”
Victor threw up his hands, spreading his shirt wide. “How should I know?”
“No one came to you about it?”
“Plenty of people wanted to talk to me about it after the party, so thank you for that.”
Olivia thought she felt a twinge of guilt, but it turned out to be the thrill of petty victory. “I’m pretty clear on how that feels, so I hope you’re not trying to make me feel bad.”
“There’s a big difference, you know. I never wanted this.”
“Victor—”
“I never wanted this and I still don’t.”
She wished she hadn’t come over here now. “Victor, you’re already on your second girlfriend. Give up the martyr act.”
“One mistake, damn it. You—”
“No,” Olivia said, turning her back on him to head for the door. “I’m not doing this. Goodbye. But if I find out that you were the one who called Lewis, so help me God, I’ll tell the dean everything I know.” She yanked open the door and stepped out, slamming it behind her.
He pulled it open again. “Olivia—”
“And charge your damn phone!”
Backing out, she left him standing there on the top step, his frown fierce as he watched her pull away. He’d dropped the whole “I didn’t want the divorce” crap a long time ago, so why was he resurrecting it now? It was sad, she supposed, wanting to have your cake and eat it, too, but she thought he’d moved on months ago.
Still, the state of Victor’s heart was no longer her problem. She had real problems to figure out. Such as who’d turned her in. Victor had been right about that one small thing. He wouldn’t have done it, not if he was in his right mind.