I flung the door open and headed straight to Bobby, the barkeep.

“You look like you could use a drink,” he said.

I did a quick scan of the place. Though it was packed for happy hour, I had the sinking feeling that I had already missed my chance at finding Sophia here. Glancing at my watch, I was close to 45 minutes late and I couldn’t expect her to wait forever. Hell knows, I wouldn’t if I were her. And it devastated me to realize that she probably thought I’d stood her up.

“I’m supposed to be meeting someone,” I said to Bobby, explaining what Sophia looked like. “Have you seen her?”

He took a minute to think about it before his head started nodding. Glancing toward the dancefloor, he said, “She was here. Looked like she was having a good time.”

Bracing my hands on the counter I leaned forward, wanting to unhear the extra detail. “And now?”

“Saw her leave not too long ago.” His lips pinched and I knew there was more he wasn’t saying. “She was waiting for you, and though I told her that you were reliable, she didn’t seem happy when she left.”

My stomach sank. “Was she alone?”

“When she left, yes.” Bobby wiped his hands on a towel. “Look, Nolan, it’s not my place to say, but Mike was spinning her around pretty good on the dancefloor.”

I turned to face the dancefloor, quickly landing my eyes on Mike. He was a regular and, though he was a great dancer, he wasn’t anybody I needed to worry about. But maybe he could give me more answers than Bobby.

“Thanks, Bobby,” I said before making my way over to talk to Mike.

I found Mike dancing with a new partner, swinging her around until they were dizzy. And before I could steal him away to see what he could tell me happened with Sophia, my jaw dropped at what I saw happening in the dark corner.

Audrey had her arms wrapped around a man’s neck while shoving her tongue down his throat.

Lowering my chin as I watched, all I could do was shake my head in disgust. I should have known this would be how I would find her. And with as little as she was wearing, it was any wonder how what they were doing in public would be considered legal. They were practically orgasming in each other’s arms as I marched straight up to her.

Clearing my throat, it wasn’t like I cared she was acting like a total slut, but it was important she knew that what she’d done to get me to drop my life and race up to her parents’ house wasn’t cool.

The man’s head was buried in her neck.

Her leg hooked around his knee as he grinded against her pelvis.

He had her shoulders pressed up against the wall. Her eyes were closed above rounded lips as she panted into his ear.

A part of me wanted to pull out my phone and take a quick photo if only to have it available for blackmail later. But I wasn’t about to stoop to her level. That was a move she would do, and if this weekend had taught me anything, it was that I didn’t want to have anything to do with her.

I watched the pathetic scenario unfold in front of me and I couldn’t help but feel vindicated by catching her in the act. I knew in my gut that she wasn’t as heartbroken about last night as she made out to be. It was sad to see, but I couldn’t deny how great it felt to have the weight of suppressed guilt finally lift off my shoulders.

I tapped the man’s shoulder hard with my index finger.

He reluctantly peeled his lips away from her neck. Turning to look at me with anger flashing over his eyes, he barked, “What the fuck, dude?” He stepped to me as if challenging me to a brawl. “Can’t you see I’m busy?”

Standing firm, I said in a calm voice, “I’m going to need a minute with her.”

He put his grill up in my face. “Like hell you do.”

Audrey’s blue eyes glared from over his shoulder as if I was the one who had done something wrong.

Refusing to look the man in his eyes, I said, “Audrey, you called?”

Her face pinched, annoyed that I had just ripped the rug of her impending orgasm out from under her. The man turned back to Audrey, snaking his arm around her waist and pulling her hard against his chest. When she pushed him off, he gave her a look like what the fuck?

“I told you we needed to talk,” she said as she brushed passed me.

My head followed her. “And I would have.”

“When, Nolan?” She flipped around and rooted her hands into her hips. “After you fucked that girl again?”

“She’s not a girl.”

Audrey rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

It made my skin crawl to know that she didn’t even care that she was purposely making my life miserable. “I was just at your parents’ house.”

Her lids hooded over as she gave me a knowing look.

My stomach flipped at her lack of empathy. It was always about her. What she wanted, what she felt. She was so into herself, it made me sick. No matter how much of my own pride I swallowed, I couldn’t stop myself from hating the way her eyes sparkled like this was some kind of game, or how one side of her mouth curled at the corner as if she was proud that she’d used her father’s health to fool me into forgetting about my date with Sophia.

“Heart attack?” My brows drew together as I raised my voice for the first time. “Really?”

Her mouth curved even more.

“You can be pissed at me, but for Christ’s sake, leave family out of it.”

She wet her lips and shook her head.

But I knew she couldn’t. She knew how much Cooper was depending on her parents’ support for his campaign, and no doubt she would hang that over my head, too, blackmailing me and my family until I agreed to her terms.

“You’ve humiliated me this weekend,” she spat.

Stepping closer, I asked, “Why can’t you just let me go?”

Her eyes rounded and her face softened. “Nolan, baby. We were meant to be together.”

“Audrey, this—” I pointed first to her, them to my own chest, “—is over. The sooner you realize it, the easier it will be.”

She frowned, but before she could pout and try to manipulate me into feeling sorry for her, I turned my back and walked away.

“Since when?” she called after me.

I stopped and turned back around. “Since you proceeded to stick your tongue down that guy’s throat.” I flung my arm through the air, pointing my finger at the man sulking on the far wall, waiting for me to leave. But we both knew it had been over before that.

“If you’re going after her,” she cocked her jaw to the side, “don’t bother.”

My eyes narrowed. I knew she was referring to Sophia.

“I told her the truth about you.” She rolled her shoulders back and tipped her chin up.

Grinding my teeth, I arched one brow.

“Once she’s gone,” both her brows raised, “you’ll be crawling back to me.”

Shaking my head, I turned to the exit knowing that I was never going to go back to Audrey. Ever.