Page 91 of Drown in You

“Ready?”

She only nods and follows me toward the door until stopping in her tracks. “Are you him?”

Her question throws me. “Who?”

“Ten.”

My stomach drops.

From her pocket, Sienna pulls out the camera film and examines it. “The night we met, you gave me that disposable camera. After I had just told Ten that I wanted one. You knew about my dad only sending me cards and calling me on my birthday. You had my phone number without asking me for it. You and Ten both play hockey and wear masks and lost your dads. You even chose the same major. You both told me it wasn’t my fault that my parents split up. When we first started talking, Ten randomly messaged me out of the blue—around the time our parents dated the first time. In that hotel room, you kissed my bruises like you already cared about me.” Her eyes start to glisten as the words choke her up. “You kissed me and touched me like you’d already known me for a long time. You said I knew this is how it would be with you. You were obsessed with me, when I thought we’d only just met. But I wasn’t sure how you’d been texting me from a California area code until Finn told me the number is from an app.”

My fists clench. Fucking Finn. The guy who never fucking talks had to pick this as the one time he opens his fucking mouth?

“The only thing I’m not sure about is why you lied. Why did you lie about your name? About living in California? And why did you keep lying to my face? Why did you abandon me too?” Her lip wobbles, and my heart breaks with hers.

I’ll fucking lose her if I tell her the truth now, that much is clear. But I can’t lose her. She finally loves me. She’s finally mine, and I can’t stomach the loss, even if that means lying to her forever.

I close the space between us, lifting her chin to force her shiny eyes to meet mine. “I told you to forget about Ten. He’s an asshole for ghosting you, and he doesn’t deserve you. You don’t need him anymore, Sienna. You have me.”

“I know you’re him, Luke,” she whispers. “Why can’t you just admit it?”

I shake my head, hating myself even though I know this is what’s best for us. This lie will keep us together. The truth is what would tear us apart. “I’m not. I know you miss your friend, but you love me. I’ll treat you better than he ever has. Than he ever could. Forget him, okay? You’re better off without him.”

Silence falls between us, Sienna’s uncertain gaze never leaving mine. My pulse hammers. She doesn’t believe me. She knows I’m lying through my teeth, and now I’m not sure what will piss her off more—that I lied in the first place or that I still am.

Finally, she nods. Every taut muscle in my body relaxes when she wraps her arms around me. She believes me. This stupid secret isn’t going to drive us apart.

I squeeze her back. “I love you, Sienna. So fucking much.”

My heartbeat echoes in my ears with every second that ticks by in silence.

At last, she murmurs, “I love you too.”

Thank fuck. I squeeze her tighter. I’ll never let her go again.

Outside the rink, the crowd is going nuts. This is the worst game we’ve played all season, and I’m only partially to blame. Sienna was right—I’ve been pushing too hard. My head is light, vertigo tilting the whole world on its side.

Cheers and jeers echo from the stands while Wes and Coach bark orders. Knox shouts to Damien who yells to Finn. But the blue and white jerseys of our opponents dart across the ice too fast, taking control of the puck.

Damien’s face is tomato-red beneath his helmet. Ready to kill to win. Wes is pissed, shouting about our failures. Even Knox wants to crack his stick over somebody’s head.

What the hell is wrong with me? I shouldn’t have gone so hard in the gym before the game. Should’ve reserved my energy for the ice when it really mattered. I’ve let our opponents sail the puck into my net four times already. I’m letting my team down.

My pulse drums in my ears, throat parched. I need water. Need to sit. Need to shut my eyes?—

Skates roar across the ice as our opponents race toward my net, our defense failing to stop them.

The Devils shout my name. They’re counting on me. I can’t let them down again.

I try to track the puck darting between our opponents, but my head is swimming.

When I drop to my knees to protect the net, my vision goes dark.

Chapter 24

Sienna

Medical staff get Luke off the ice after he comes to. My heart pounds against my ribcage, and I long to run down to him, but I wait for the staff to check his vitals and monitor him while he sips electrolyte water on the bench.

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