I started to respond, but Helen got there first. “Not entirely, but it’s also not untrue.”
Enough was enough. I wouldn’t allow Helen to be subjected to any more of this. Unwrapping her fingers from my wrist, I caught her hand, tugged her to her feet, and started striding for the door. My father barking my name stopped me.
He spoke to my back. “Wait in my office, Theo. We need to talk.”
Without turning around, I nodded and continued inside. Once I’d gotten Helen well away from the patio doors, I backed her into a wall and bracketed her head with my arms.
“Are you okay?”
She stared back at me, earnestness in her expression. “Are you? You must be so embarrassed.”
“No.” I captured her jaw, tipping her head back. “I’m not embarrassed. I’m seething. I don’t know how Abby found out, but she had no right to spill your personal business to everyone. She’s just a jealous little cunt. God, I’m so sorry.”
“Theo.” She stroked my cheek with her fingertips. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I made choices, and I have to own them. Abby might be jealous, but it’s not like she lied.”
My fist came down heavily, making Helen flinch. “She got one detail right, the rest was a pack of bullshit—and we both know it.”
The sound of heels clicking hurriedly on the marble floor froze us both. Abby came to a halt three feet from where I had Helen pinned to the wall, her eyes welled with tears.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” she rasped. “I wasn’t going to. It’s just…Daniel told me about her when he found out I was coming here today. I guess I let my mouth get ahead of me. I told them I was mistaken on the details, but your dad wasn’t really listening. I didn’t mean—”
“Shut up,” I hissed. “Get out of here. We. Are. Through.”
Abby glanced helplessly between Helen and me, then quickly spun on her toes and fled, a quiet sob following in her wake.
With a sharp shake of my head, I pulled Helen from the wall and into my arms, her front flush with my side. Her arms looped around my middle, and her head tucked under my chin.
“I guess we know why Daniel’s been quiet.” Helen smoothed her hand along my side. “He was waiting for an opportunity like this.”
“Fuck Daniel,” I gritted out.
He’d been officially expelled, just as I knew he would be. The evidence had been too damning, even for his father’s fat pockets. Added to that, the school’s newspaper had gotten their hands on the same evidence sent to the president and deans, and Savage U couldn’t afford not to rule with an iron fist.
He’d left the frat house the day of our fight and never returned, not even to pack up his room. One day, movers arrived and carried all his belongings out, and I’d hoped that would be the end of it. I guessed he’d needed to get one last jab in. Since he couldn’t fight worth shit, he’d sent in a ringer.
I planted a kiss to Helen’s temple. “Let’s get out of here.”
“That’s an excellent idea. I’m done with all the richie riches. No offense, Theodore.”
Even though I was pissed, she made me chuckle. “Absolutely none taken.”
We headed toward the front door, but luck wasn’t on our side today. My father met us in the hall outside his office, blocking our path.
“Will you two step into my office? We need to have a quick conversation.” His voice was calm. Scarily so. The last thing I wanted was to have any length of conversation with him, but this was inevitable. We might as well get it over with.
Helen squeezed my side. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”
I swept my gaze over her. She truly didn’t seem any worse for wear. I felt like I was going to climb out of my skin, but my cool girl was a cucumber. That reminded me she’d dealt with far worse than Andrew Whitlock. I wanted to punch a hole in the sky so I could give her the fucking moon and stars to make up for it.
I met my father’s eyes. “You have five minutes, and if you say anything I don’t like to Helen, we’re out.”
He swiveled, striding to his desk. Helen and I waited on the other side of it, neither of us moving to sit. Andrew opened a side drawer and withdrew a leather-bound ledger. My stomach revolted at the sight of it.
Bracing both hands on his desk, he directed his gaze to my girl. “I’m going to be blunt. I do not want a stripper in my family. Having a woman like you by his side will only hurt him. It’s clear from her behavior Abigail Fitzgerald isn’t fit for Theo, but neither are you.”
“That ship sailed when you fucked my mom, Andrew.” My ears were ringing from the blood rushing through my veins. “This is bullshit.”
Helen put her hand on my arm. “No, let’s hear what he has to say. I’m curious.”
Andrew gave her a wan smile. “You’re smart, I’ll give you that.” He opened the ledger, revealing rows of checks he tapped with a pen. “Do you know what these are?”
Helen furrowed her brow. “Um…aren’t they checks?”
“That’s right. Now, you’re going to tell me your price for walking away from Theo and leaving our family alone. Is it five thousand? Seven?”
I almost laughed at the audacity of this man. He clearly didn’t know anything about Helen if he thought for a second she’d entertain this offer.
Helen sucked in a breath and peered at the checks. She glanced at me, then back to Andrew. “Ten thousand.”
No.
Two words. That was all it took to stab me in the fucking gut.
Chapter Thirty-two
Helen
Andrew’s salt-and-pepper eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I would have gone as high as fifteen.” He chuckled like he was so damn clever, then started writing my check. “But ten sounds just fine.”
My nails dug into the palms of my hands. “It’s Helen Ortega. O-r-t-e-g-a.”
“Helen, Jesus Christ,” came Theo’s tortured protest. “What are you doing?”
I raised a brow, but I couldn’t look at him. I could not bear to see his expression. “I’m being smart.”
Something choked and tormented clawed up his throat, and I felt it slide down mine. Hurting Theo hurt me right back, but it was a necessary evil. I didn’t know what else to do.
Andrew tore the check out with a flourish and handed it to me. My hands were steady as I accepted it. I sat down to inspect it and whipped out my phone.
“Checks are so funny.” I scrunched my nose as I held my phone over the piece of paper. “Isn’t it crazy how I can just scan it with my phone—and boom, the money is deposited in my account? I don’t even have to go to the bank.”
Theo sank down in the chair beside mine, covering his eyes with his hand. I could feel his confusion and anger bubbling up, and I had to put an end to it. This was too much on top of too much.
“Hey, Theodore, can you send me your account info?”
His head slowly turned in my direction. His eyes were bleary and wet, barely focusing on me. “What?” he croaked.
Oh, my heart. I hated doing this to him, but it would be over soon. “Send me your account info and I’ll transfer the ten K as soon as it clears.”