Irrefutable (The Apprehensive Duet Book 2) by Kimberly Bracco Page B

don’t you lie and tell him you’ve found out I’ve been lying our entire relationship about actually loving you and you want to cut me out?”
    “Because if I told him I’m only walking away and just cutting you out,” he shakes his head. “How would I explain you and I still meeting together? We need to make him think I want something bigger than just screwing you over. He needs to think I want some ultimate revenge and leaving you at the altar, humiliating you, would be it.”
    More lies. More planning. More sneaking around. More consequences if things don’t work out. I’m burnt out but Jordan seems to be just getting started.
    “It took me a little bit, but I’m almost positive I found a way to manipulate his ego against him with playing the humiliation card. If it looks like you’re out cheating on me and people can see it, I’ll be able to really play with him. He’s a vain man. He’ll understand humiliation. I think you should be seen out in couple’s settings looking cozy. Think Alex would help us out?”
    My face drops and I feel it pale several shades. “Alex?” I repeat in a squeaky voice.
    “I spent a lot of time thinking about everything over the last two days. It wasn’t hard to miss the way you changed when he came back. I guess I just chose to ignore it, but you became distant and always distracted. I might’ve only seen you two together once, but the look in your eyes every time he was in the room should’ve been my first clue you guys have a lot of unfinished business. You still have feelings for him, and I’m pretty sure you’ll try to work things out when all is said and done. It sucks for me, but it is what it is. You never promised me anything more.”
    This just keeps getting better. Not only did I just crush his hope of us ever being something real, but now he’s telling me he knows I’m still hung up on someone else. “Is it that obvious?”
    “It was easy to see when I looked,” he says with a sadness in his voice that makes this hurt even more. “We’ll get your father. My feelings don’t have anything to do with this plan. Alex will be the most convincing man for the job”
    “I don’t like the idea of people thinking I’m running around on you.” I shake my head. “Not because of me, but because you don’t deserve that. Humiliating you in this arrangement was never part of my plan.”
    “Quinn, your father tried to use my family. He tried exploiting my father’s cancer and then tried to pull my mother into this. Not to mention what he did to you. Trust me, a little embarrassment is nothing compared to the victory of making that piece of shit pay.” His voice is firm and steadfast. This has become personal to Jordan now too.
    “Oh my God, Diana,” I gasp, my hands covering my mouth. “Your mother’s going to hate me. She shouldn’t have to deal with all this so soon after losing your father.”
    “Relax,” Jordan hushes me. “I’ve already spoken to Mom and explained everything. She shed some light on some things I didn’t know about her and my father and why he wanted things done in the order he wanted them.”
    Jordan spends the next half hour giving me a condensed version of everything that happened with his mom over the last few days. “You mean she doesn’t hate me for lying to her and your father?”
    “She’s pissed we lied and didn’t come to them for help, but she’s not the type of person to hold a grudge, Quinn. She flat out told me that you’re still part of this family and we protect our family. Your father succeeded in giving my mom something else to focus on. Too bad for him it’s not a wedding, but a plan to get him out of your life entirely.”

 
    “IT’LL KEEP GETTING easier, Quinn. Today went great—you opened up, and it’s only the beginning. I’ll see you in a few days,” Dr. Stein says as he walks me out of his office.
    This was only our second session, but he seems positive, so maybe I’m not too fucked after