Page 102 of Parrish

“What about the deal?” I asked hoarsely, swallowing the thick lump lodged in my throat.

“I didn’t sign anything and after the accident, I told him the deal was off the table.”

“So you’re not going away?”

He shakes his head.

“Ritzer, that’s the D.A., he might try some shit, but I’m going to fight him tooth and nail. I ain’t bowing to no one, especially not some pencil prick in a suit.”

He gives my neck another squeeze and brings his other hand to my cheek. Other than hold my hand, he hasn’t touched me much and my body reacts instantly. My soft breath comes in pants as his gaze darts to my lips.

“You’re stuck with me,” he murmurs, inching closer.

Panic rises in my throat as my head goes to war with my heart. Sensibility and clarity fight a losing battle and before I realize what I’m doing, my fingers curl against his chest, fisting the material of his shirt.

“I should hate you,” I cry.

“You should,” he agrees, touching the tip of his nose to the tip of mine.

“I don’t,” I confess.

Truth.

“There’s still time,” he says.

“Love trumps hate,” I murmur as I close my eyes and relish in the feel of his breath against my lips.

More truth.

“If things were different, I’d kiss you right now. I’d kiss you until you couldn’t breathe. I’d fuck your mouth until you forgot all the shit we’ve been through. All that would exist for you is my mouth. All you’d crave is my taste,” he says as he releases my neck.

So much truth.

My eyes spring open and a whimper escapes my lips as he pulls away from me altogether.

“I’m sorry if I upset you, but I never thought it would be you who forgot us, and I don’t know what to do with that. I don’t know how to fix it because you’re always the one patching the holes, covering them with fancy frames and cherished memories.”

He stands from the bed and points to the table.

“You should eat something,” he says as he starts for the door.

“You’re leaving?”

I watch as he pauses. Slowly, he turns his head and glances over his shoulder at me. Our eyes lock and I notice they’re not as dark as they were.

The burden of truth has been lifted.

“Sleep on it, Sunshine. I gave you the nightmare, now dream of the beautiful,” he says hoarsely as he reaches for the door. Staring at his back, I watch him step out of the room and as the door closes, I’m hit with another truth.

Loving Jack Parrish has consequences but loving him isn’t just part of the bigger picture, it is the picture.

It’s the plan.

It’s why I was put on this Earth.

It’s why I’m still here.

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