Sympathy forgotten, I let go of Alfie’s hand and strode toward the stage. He could attack me all he wanted, but as soon as he started slagging Alfie, he summoned a hell beast.
Tristan couldn’t see me coming.
“At first, I thought she was looking for an edge, since he runs this contest. There’s no possible way she would prefer him to me, right? Look at the guy.”
That was when I heard myself shouting, “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!”
To my astonishment he did. He lifted an eyebrow and smiled so smugly, I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I moved close enough to enter the sphere of spotlight, so he’d have to look me in the eyes when I unleashed my wrath.
“You!” My finger pointed at him like it could shoot lasers. “You troglodyte narcissistic sexist caveman asshole. You are so entitled to believe you could step up to that microphone and win automatically because . . . why? Because you were born with passing looks and average height? You think everyone else gets ahead by cheating or by taking a shortcut, and you bitterly believe that when your privilege is put in question it’s because someone else is taking something from you. I thought maybe you’d changed since college, but I don’t think you’ve had one introspective moment in your entire life that didn’t lead to you believing your own self-written press. You tried to use me to get a job! And you know what’s funny about that? You never bothered to find out that I founded the company you want to work at. Yes, me! I am part owner, and while I don’t hire people, I can sure as fuck fire them.”
Man, it felt good to get that off my chest.
“As for the person you refer to as a dweeb, Alfie is a grown man who looks out for others. Unlike you, he has bettered himself in the past ten years, and you aren’t worthy to know him.”
I took a deep breath to continue on before I remembered where we were. I looked over the faces of strangers all staring at me with popcorn-eating expressions, entertained by all the drama because they weren’t a part of it. Then I saw Reynold leaning against the far wall, eyes wide.
Tristan opened his mouth, but I had something left to say. “And you’re right. I didn’t need to win the money. You and Zane can duke it out. I got more out of this contest than I came for. I only hope I haven’t lost what matters.”
As if to answer that question, Alfie laid a hand on my shoulder, and I said, “Can we get out of here now? I have things to say to you.”
“I’d like that.”
“Vote for Zane!” I yelled and tugged Alfie after me through the kitchen and toward the back stairs.
Chapter 31
The sounds of the crowd faded as we climbed his stairs. He held my hand, and I followed behind him, no longer the least bit nervous. It was like I’d never known nerves in my life. The confidence I felt about Alfie was total, and I’d almost missed it because of an inability to let something go that I should have forgotten years ago.
He unlocked the door, and before it clicked shut behind us, he spun me and kissed me again. “Did you mean what you said? Do you really forgive me?”
“Yes.” I laid a palm to his cheek, looking into his beautiful eyes. “We both hurt each other without meaning to. Tristan’s been trying to drive a wedge between us, and I almost let him.”
“No, I’m totally at fault. I should have come clean years ago. It’s no excuse, but Tristan had been bullying me that whole semester, and I hated that he of all people had everything handed to him. I couldn’t help it; I wanted to embarrass him.
“When Ms. Maxwell sent a few of us in early to set up the contest, and I saw the PowerPoint slideshow, I didn’t even think. I started downloading every unflattering picture I could find of him from his public Facebook photos, and I built a second slideshow. It was easy to swap them out when Tristan was called to the stage, but when you went up . . .” He sighed. “I should have gone over and yanked the laptop plug from the wall, but I was afraid you’d see me, and that only made things worse.”
I could envision the entire scene. “I have to confess I’ve come to understand why someone would want to murder Tristan.”
He gave me a half smile. “It was the wrong way to go about it. I saw how I hurt you, but it was too late. I’m so sorry. It was wrong of me. I should have told you sooner.”
I listened and couldn’t disagree. “Yeah, it was wrong, Alfie, but you learned from your mistake and you changed. You went on to be a better person. You make me want to be a better person.”
He brushed my hair off my forehead and pressed a kiss there. “I hope I’ve made myself into someone good enough for you.”
“You are, Alfie.” I thought about the past week and how stupid I’d been. “You asked me why I’d forgiven Tristan so easily, but then got so angry at you. The truth is, my disappointment with Tristan was baked in. Enough time had passed that his betrayal no longer surprised me, and I didn’t expect a lot from him. The sad thing is that I don’t expect a lot from most men. In my experience, every man will eventually let me down.”
His shoulders dropped. “I never meant to—”
“And then I met you. You were everything I didn’t know I was missing. It turns out there are princes among men. But the hope you gave me crumbled when I discovered you of all people had deceived me. It reinforced my worst expectations and fears.”
“Sierra—”
“Shhh.” I laid a finger over his lips. “I thought it proved you were too good to be true, especially since you are too good for me. But I was wrong, and I’m so sorry. I should have trusted you. I should have talked to you and given you a chance.”
He kissed my finger, and I lifted it, permission to speak.
“You have nothing to apologize for.” Of course, his first response would be to absolve me.
“Oh, Alfie. I love you. You’ve become like my best friend in such a short time.” I laughed as his face dropped at the moniker. “Yes, my friend. And my lover. My soul mate. I love how you’ve learned to love yourself. I love how you’ve taught me to love myself.”
He ran a thumb along my cheek, and I realized a tear had loosed itself. I didn’t know when or why I’d started crying. Happiness? Maybe relief?
“Well, that is quite convenient since I fell in love with you a long time ago.”
The power of those words broke something loose in my spirit, and I sobbed. “How could you have been in love with me? You barely know me.”
“I know you, Sierra.” He gazed into my eyes, connecting soul to soul. “I knew it wasn’t real love at first. Just a fascination with a girl who intrigued me. When you came into my bar, I felt that spark again. I can’t believe how lucky I am that you saw me.”
“I see you, Alfie. I will always see you.”
He touched my chin with his knuckle and tipped my face up for a kiss. “Do you realize we just had our first real fight?”
“And I’m still here. Does that mean we get to have sex now?”
His eyes widened. “That reminds me! I have something for you.”
I waggled my eyebrows. “Is that a euphemism?”
He laughed. “Come with me.”
“That’s still sex talk.”