I wasn’t even out of bed before she was out the door. Panicking, I dove for my pants and ran out into the hallway shirtless to chase her. She was already getting in the elevator and I sprinted full tilt toward her. Rae’s eyes widened, and she repeatedly pressed the button to close the elevator door in my face as I padded urgently down the hallway at her. I was quicker than the elevator door, but just barely. I blocked the door with a bare foot.

“Rae. Wait. Please don’t go.” I was panting a bit from my impromptu twenty-yard dash.

“Lucas, this is ridiculous.” She shook her head at me angrily. “You need to just let me go. Call Victoria. Or better yet, someone else. Be happy and just forget all about me. It’ll be better for us both. Let. Me. Go.”

“I can’t.” I sounded desperate.

“Why?” She sounded exasperated.

“Because I care about you.” I searched for the words but couldn’t seem to find them. “I know we just met, but there’s something between us. I don’t want to just go and ruin it.”

She looked away, down at her feet. “You’re in love with someone else.”

I couldn’t deny it. And yet. I couldn’t let her go, either.

I’m such a fool. What kind of idiot falls in love with two women? Me. Apparently.

“Tell me you feel nothing for me, and I’ll step away and let this door close.”

Rae sighed and beseeched me with her wide, beautiful eyes. “Lucas… you don’t know me at all. Please just let me go.”

I shook my head. She shifted uncomfortably on her heels. It was a standoff. Her blue eyes held no compromise, but she looked away first.

“Fine. Lucas, you want me to say it? I’ll say it. I feel nothing for you,” Rae’s voice was more resigned than anything else. “You were nothing but a way for me to get a promotion. When I couldn’t get a promotion, I figured at least I’d have a nice night.”

“I don’t believe you.” What we’d shared the night before meant something. It had to. I refused to believe that Rae felt nothing for me.

“I don’t give a shit what you believe! You told me that you would let me go if I said it.” Rae arched an eyebrow at me. “I said it. Don’t be a liar, Lucas.”

“But I—”

“Let me go.” Rae’s voice was angry. “I’ve got better things to do than ruin my career over someone like you.”

“Rae—”

“No.” She looked at me with that wild, cunning ferocity that had first attracted me to her. “Look, you want the real truth? Here’s the real truth. I’m impressed by you Lucas. Really. You tricked me into destroying my whole career for you. That’s really something. I was this close to closing this deal and getting promoted and having all my dreams come true. If you hadn’t said that you cared about me, I never would have told you the truth. But you outplayed me. You really are a genius, aren’t you? But don’t be a liar, Lucas. You said you’d let me go if I told you I feel nothing for you.” She paused for a moment. “Well, now that I know the truth about you, I feel less than nothing for you. I won’t be used. Let. Me. Go.”

Stunned, shirtless, barefoot, and confused, I stepped back to allow the elevator doors to close. I wouldn’t keep her if she really wanted to go.

As the gap between the elevator doors closed, Rae’s placid exterior cracked. A tear carved its way down her face. “Lucas, just take the money and run. Forget about Notable Match. Stay away from me. Stay away from Victoria. Live your life.” She swallowed, and her blue eyes shined with more unshed tears. “Good bye Lucas.”

I walked back to my loft alone.