Rebound, Boundless Series, Book 1

Chapter Forty

"When did you take the key?" I needed to know everything.

"The second night you slept here, after your shift at Liberty. When we made love. . ." An ache in my chest and a wave of nausea coursed through my core.

"We fucked," I yelled. "That wasn't love." I slapped my hand to my forehead. I wanted to flog myself for my stupidity.

He closed his eyes and swallowed before he continued, "I took your key and gave it to an associate of Pentagon, who duplicated the key. He returned it in the morning when I met him on my run. I put the key back in your purse and went into the room to make love to you because that's what I felt for you."

"Give me a fucking break, Matt. You didn't love me two days after fucking."

He cast his head down and covered his face with his hands. "Perla, please don't dismiss my feelings. I know you're angry because we used you for Pentagon's benefit, but what I wanted from you was more. I still want you. You're a big part of my life and my future."

I rolled my eyes. I thought through his previous statement: Pentagon couldn't have known I would work at Liberty after ending my work with Brassi Construction. That connection was purely coincidental. I reconciled with the fact I may never know how everything since my dismissal at Brassi had been connected.

"You said you'd been trying to buy Brassi at the same time you were working on the Pentagram project, how long had you been planning on purchasing Liberty?"

"Pentagon. . ." he corrected, "Pentagon wanted both companies simultaneously. We'd been working on Pentagram for years, at least five years in concept and three since we started the development plans. We made offers to the properties within the acreage we needed to develop. We had a few refusals, but eventually, Pentagon bought all of them, except Liberty. They stalled our plans. We acquired Brassi over eight months ago—"

"And Aida died about eight months ago. When did Brady start dating Brigit?"

"Perla, I don't want to talk about their personal lives." He groaned.

"Oh, that's rich, literally. You all knew about my fucking personal life before I learned anything about you. How your friends must have had to restrain themselves from laughing in my face, knowing I gave them Liberty on a silver platter. But you can't tell me anything about their lives. Always protecting the boys. Bros before hoes, isn't that the saying, Matt?" He shook his head.

I stood from the couch and walked to the center of the room. "I signed my contract and separation agreement with Ben a year ago. I'm trying to figure out the situation with Aida. It doesn't make sense." A pounding began in the back of my head, and I tried to suppress a yawn. I was tired from a full work day. And my relationship being a farce had knocked me for a loop.

"I have to go home. I'm tired." I walked to the door. I reached for my keys and my purse. On the key fob, I selected Matt's apartment key. I started removing the key from the key ring.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm returning your key."

"No, Perla. . ."

I held up the single key, showing him the key he'd given me on the day he'd stolen Liberty's key from my bag. "As of today, I have absolutely no use for this key. I don't intend to use it to walk in and out of your door." I pointed at the door before placing the key on the foyer table next to the front door.

"Wait, please. We have to work through this."

"I worked through this already." I turned around. "You and your friends used me. How do we get passed that? How do I work through your company's quest to continue making millions off the backs of innocent people. . . Oh sorry, billions. Billionaires set out to ruin my life? You were an essential part of the plot." I held onto the doorknob before clarifying. "I want absolutely nothing to do with you or Pentagon. You didn't just fuck me, you screwed with my life and the people I love, and you're so egotistical you thought I would stay with you after I found out. Fuck you!" I turned to open the door.