Page 87 of Truth or Dare

"I’ll keep the girls anonymous. Even Reagan. She’s no friend, but she’s not my target."

Hudson took the phone from my hand and placed it on the nightstand. His expression softened as he leaned in, rolling us so he was above me. The weight of him felt grounding, his lips tracing a heated path down my neck, leaving me breathless. I ran my fingers along his spine, pulling him closer, feeling the unspoken promise between us.

"Truth," he murmured against my skin, his voice rough.

I ran a hand through his hair, brushing it back from his face. "What?"

His gaze locked onto mine, serious. "Promise me you won't sleep with him."

My heart gave a painful twist. "I can't make that promise, Hudson. You know that."

A flicker of hurt crossed his face, but he held me tighter, pressing into me with a fierce urgency that left me gasping. My nails dug into his shoulders as he moved, each thrust a silent plea, a reminder of who we were together in this tangled mess.

"Just try," he rasped, his eyes searching mine. "Say you'll try."

I cupped his face, letting him see the raw honesty there. "I love you, Hudson. I never loved him. Evan was convenient, nothing more—a mistake I made because I was stupid and wanted to belong."

His mouth found my neck, his movements sending a shiver of heat through me as I wrapped my legs around him, holding him close, clinging to the one real thing I had in this chaos—my love for him.

Afterward, we lay tangled together in silence, Hudson’s breaths slowing as he drifted off. I watched him, tracing the lines of his face in the soft moonlight. He looked peaceful, a stark contrast to the turmoil swirling inside me. I slipped out of bed, careful not to wake him, and pulled a t-shirt over my head, feeling the chill settle over me.

At the window, I stared out into the quiet street, the weight of that notebook pressing down on me. The secrets it held, the lives it could ruin—it felt like an anchor, pulling me down, tightening its grip with every lie I kept.

I couldn’t let him be right. Not about Evan, not about me. But how long could I keep this act going before it all fell apart?

As I slippedinto the house, I dialed Evan’s number, bracing myself but he didn’t pick up. It was early, but I could already hear my parents in the kitchen, the clink of coffee cups andlow hum of conversation. They were dressed in workout gear, sipping their coffee with the ease of people who’d been up for hours.

“We didn’t expect you until later,” my mother remarked, raising an eyebrow.

I shrugged, hoping to sound casual. “I wanted to stay, but I have a report due Monday and need to finish the book,” I lied.

My father looked up over his newspaper. “Cutting it close, aren’t you?”

“I only have a few pages left. I can knock it out in an hour,” I said, quickly adding, “Where are you two headed?”

“Tennis with the Wrights at ten,” my father replied, folding his paper neatly.

“Sounds fun. See you later,” I said, already hurrying up the stairs, eager to escape their scrutiny.

Once in my room, I dumped my purse and coat on the desk and went to check on Neil. I nudged him awake; his clothes still rumpled from last night. He groaned.

“Can’t even change out of your party clothes?” I teased.

He rolled over, squinting at me. “I was gonna lie down for a minute… guess I passed out.”

I sat beside him. “How are you feeling?”

“Like crap,” he muttered, clutching his head.

“Mom and Dad are heading out, so you might want to change before they see you.”

As I got up, he called after me. “Presley… thanks.”

I gave him a small smile. “Just… promise you’ll be more careful.”

In my room, I prepared for a quick shower, hoping to wash away the tension and the lingering scent of Hudson. But when I checked my phone afterward, a series of new, angry messages from Evan stared back at me, each one more aggressive than thelast. I swallowed, feeling a mix of dread and frustration as my cell rang, and I reluctantly answered his call.

“Hello,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady.

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