That was one of the nice things about Magnus, she realized. That was one reason they clicked so well—they both understood what it was like to deal with a frustrating sibling. They both had fucked-up, strangely codependent relationships with their siblings that didn’t make sense to the outside world but somehow did in their minds. They both knew what it was to depend on that other person and be completely and utterly let down by them. Magnus and Levi were just like Edie and Bianca in so many ways.
Magnus got why she was so upset. More than betrayal, it was the realization that it had been so easy to lean on that other person, to let them take over part of her life, and now that was being wrenched away. Magnus would get that. He would totally know how she was feeling, because he’d been there himself.
Magnus understood her. Edie’s heart brimmed full of love, and she cuddled against him, comforted despite the horrible day. Somehow, in Magnus’s strong arms, it didn’t feel so very bad. It was still awful, but it hurt less knowing she had him.
“I think you’re the only person I can completely trust,” Edie said softly, clutching at his shirt. “I thought Bianca always had my back, but I guess I was wrong. I’m so glad I have you instead.”
Underneath her, she felt Magnus tense. Felt his hand stop stroking her back. After a long moment, he said, “Shit.”
That . . . was a surprising response to her confessing that she was glad to have him. Edie sat up and wiped her face, staring at him. Magnus’s green eyes were troubled, the frown line between his brows appearing. “What?”
He gazed at her for a long moment, then gave a small shake of his head. “I really fucking hate your sister.”
Was that all it was? “Well, that makes two of us at the moment,” Edie said, preparing to settle back in against his chest. But his hand stopped her, and as she looked into his unhappy face, her stomach gave a gurgle of fear. “What is it?”
“We need to talk,” he said, voice soft. “This has gone on long enough.”
“What’s gone on long enough?” She felt like vomiting again, but clamped her jaw, determined to hear this. “What is it?”
He studied her for a long moment, the green-gold brilliance of his eyes heartbreaking. Then, Magnus said gently, “Didn’t you ever wonder why I hired you in the first place?”
Edie’s heart squeezed painfully. “Because you got a cat, right?” She hated how pathetically desperate her voice sounded.
“Did I seem like a guy who wanted a cat? I mean, I like Lady C now, but when you first came over, didn’t it all strike you as weird?”
It had, but she’d ignored those warning signs. “What are you trying to say?”
“Levi had our assistant pick out the cat at the shelter. See, he met Bianca at the same dinner party we met at. And he wanted to start seeing Bianca, but she wouldn’t agree to it unless you were busy with something, because she didn’t want to abandon you.” He closed his eyes and gave a small shake of his head. “And because I needed Levi to work with me, I agreed to keep you occupied so they could spend time together.”
She flung herself off of his lap, horrified. “You what?” This was a nightmare. A horrible, awful nightmare that she couldn’t quite wake up from.
“I’m telling you this because I don’t like their games,” he said, face expressionless. “Because I feel like we need the truth between us and I’m tired of the lies and the half truths. When we first started spending time together, that wasn’t because I wanted to. I know it sounds awful, and that’s why I want you to hear it from me instead of one of their lying mouths.”
Edie slid away from him and put her hands to her forehead. This wasn’t happening. This wasn’t. “I don’t understand.”
“It changed, Edie. I changed. Because at first, I was spending time with you to humor Levi, to try and get him to work on the game with me. But at some point, I started to have feelings for you, and—”
“And what?” she cried. “It made it all better because now you didn’t think I was a bitch? So it was okay to lie to my face and pretend to like me when you thought I was a mean, awful person? Really?”
“No—”
“Yes!” She shook her head at him. “How can you possibly think that is okay? I am a person! I have feelings, too! Pretending that you wanted to go out with me is not okay on any level, Magnus!”
“It hasn’t been pretending. Not for some time.”
“How am I supposed to know that? How am I supposed to believe a word that you say? You’re just as big a liar as Bianca is.” She bounded to her feet, ignoring the sharp stab of pain that shot up her bad leg. “I can’t stay here. I have to leave—”
“No, Edie,” Magnus said, coming after her. He reached for her, and when she jerked away, stopped. “I love you. Seriously. That’s all me. I want you to move in with me. I don’t care that we’ll have nine cats and sixteen-hundred square feet. We’ll find a bigger place that meets our needs and we’ll be happy together, just you and me. Just stay, and let’s talk this through.”
She shook her head. “I can’t deal with this. Not right now. Maybe not ever.”
“Edie—”
“Fuck off,” she said, and then she was out the door, and down the street, and she didn’t stop running until she found a taxi. In a haze of pain and misery, she looked at the driver. “Buchanan Manor, please.”