Old Money

18. Liar

CHARLES

"What the hell were you thinking, Charles?" Lauren asks as I stare at her, my arms crossed over my chest. It was all I could do to keep myself in check when I had arrived to find her still here. "She's young enough to be your adult child." My eyes narrow as she stands from the barstool and comes closer, resting her hip against the island as her steel blue gaze locks onto me. "You know she was only here for one thing."

"What might that be?" I snap.

"Come on, Charles. You know a woman like that looks at you and sees dollar signs. No one her age is going to want to spend their life with someone that much older, be realistic, here." She pleads, trying to make me see reason, but all I see is red. I'm angry because I can't believe I never saw how much of a self-centered bitch she can be, or how judgmental, how flat out vindictive. Before this, we could've had a civil relationship, now I want her out of my life for good. She might just have cost me the one good thing I had left.

"You couldn't stand for one second that I might have someone in my life who actually made me feel something who wasn't you. Admit it." I seethe as I take a step towards her. "You got what you wanted from me. You got half of everything, left me in this fucking house alone because you couldn't be faithful, and now you want to come here and chase off the one person who made my days a little less miserable? How fucking dare you."

Lauren takes a step back as her mouth curves into a frown. She hadn't expected so much hostility, that's obvious by the fact that she stayed here until I got home. She should've left, got as far from my sight as possible. Maybe, she didn't realize just how much Mia means to me. She's not a one night stand or someone I call when I need to fuck my rage out, she's the person I want to talk to after a long day, the person I want to make smile when I feel out of sorts with myself. Now, she's gone.

"You're delusional." She breathes out. "She would've taken everything from you if you gave her the opportunity. I'm only trying to watch out for you."

"Oh, like you did?" Lauren says nothing, clearly shocked by my bold question. "What do you know? You don't know a goddamn thing about anything."

"I know that women who come from nothing will risk everything to gain a foothold in the world. I know that even if you can't see it, you were sucked in by some cute charm and a tight, young ass." I reach for my cell and try to send Mia a text, but it won't go through which means one thing— she's blocked my phone number. Fuck. "Charles," Lauren reaches out and rests her hand on my arm but I step away as if I've been burned.

"Don't touch me."

"I'm only looking out for you. You know I still care, you were and still are a very important person in my life. Think of the boys." I picture them now, the twins I thought were mine, but aren't. Not really. They may know me as their father now, but one day the truth will come to light and they'll choose the one that shares their blood over me. What will I be left with then? This empty house and whole lot of nothing to go with it. "You've got to think of your reputation, what would people think if they saw you with a woman that young?"

"That's not your concern, Lauren. I don't give a shit what anyone thinks about my personal life." She stares at me for a long moment, knowing well that nothing has ever been more true. "Just get out." I mumble, the wind thoroughly knocked out of my sails.

If Mia has blocked my number, then her mind is made up. She doesn't want to hear what I have to say. Lauren goes to open her mouth, but I turn to give her a cold stare, my face hard as stone. She knows better than to push me any further, so instead she reaches for her purse and heads for the door.