Page 82 of Arrogant and Merciless

“You hate me.”

I press two fingers against her lips. “Sometimes. But not today. Come with me, Taylor.”

She closes her eyes, and I know she’s battling with herself—just like I am. But I also know exactly how this will end.

“Okay,” she concedes.

Taylor

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

"Why didyou choose to treat burn victims?"

"Because I like challenges, mostly."

"Any other man would try to glorify himself by saying his choice was about kindness and the need to help others."

"With or without your memory, you’ve been around me long enough to know I’m not a good man, Taylor. I’m selfish, arrogant, and . . .”

"Vindictive?"

"I don’t forget offenses or betrayals."

"But if what we had was casual, then I didn’t betray you. It’s not just arrogance, William. You see things the way you want to see them."

"You were . . .special to me."

I feel my heart slam against my ribcage. I never imagined he would say that. "So it wasn’t just sex?"

"Have you ever looked in the mirror?"

"The mirror shows the surface—not necessarily who I am, William."

The car stops at a red light, and he turns to me. "Do you really want to go to a restaurant?"

"I’d eat anything, really. But if we go to your house, I know how it’ll end. You said it yourself—we can’t be near each other without ending up naked."

"That’s an excellent argument."

"I have nothing against being naked with you. I do have a problem with feeling used afterwards."

"I never used you, Taylor."

I stare at him, unconvinced, but then I realize—he’s serious. "Thank you for that."

"For telling the truth?"

"For not using me. If I loved you, it would have broken my heart to think I was just another body to you."

He clears his throat, as if the topic makes him uncomfortable. "You were twenty-three. You didn’t know what love was."

"How old are you?"

"Forty."

"You said that at twenty-three, I didn’t know. At forty, can you say you know what love is, William?"

The driver pulls up in front of a beautiful restaurant, saving him from having to answer.

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