Page 193 of Tattooed Love

Still, that caused an almighty argument and fight. Troy got pissed off and left, leaving me to deal with the backlash of the other President’s shit.

I think it was his way of paying me back for forcing him to do my work, as well as his, for the last month.

I walked up the hall. All I wanted to do was be with Amber. Cole passed on her new number, but I literally hadn’t even had a minute spare to call her.

I frowned, seeing light under her door. It was after five in the morning. Why would she be up?

I opened the door and I had been so quiet, she hadn’t even realized. Her eyes were glued to a map in front of her, which, by the looks of it, was covered in maths.

“You’re up late?”

Her head snapped up; she looked slightly shocked.

“What has your attention?” I walked towards the bed that she had covered in figures.

“Um, nothing of importance.”

“It looks important.” Then my eyes hardened as I watched her pick up her work. “Why are you doing maths?”

I knew why she was. I knew why she had taken such a liking to it; because she needed it for making good headshots.

I pointed a finger at her. “I told you, no more killing.” It wasn’t happening, not on my watch. Her days of taking people out were over. I was going to make sure of it. If she really had a problem with someone, I’d handle it.

“We need to talk,” she said seriously, ignoring my question and pushing her notes aside.

Alarm bells were now going off. Something had happened. Something serious, and she was only about to tell me now.

“Why the hell didn’t you call me if something serious was happening?” I snapped at her, annoyed. If something was going on that involved her calculating headshots, I should’ve bloody well known.

She picked up her cigarette from the ashtray. “I didn’t have your number.”

Oh.

“You could have got it off the boys.”

“You were busy.”

I was positive she was going to make up every excuse possible to justify why she was only now bringing something serious to my attention.

“Well, what’s wrong?” I said, walking towards her.

She crossed her legs, looking all sorts of worried. “Nothing’s wrong. We just need to talk.”

“About last night?” She had to know I’d meant everything I’d said, and I wasn’t taking any of it back. I loved her. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, but if she had questions or doubts, I’d somehow ease them.

“No,” she said firmly. “It’s about Tae.”

“You’re done with him.” I didn’t see how we could have a conversation about something that was over; then I looked at her closer, reading her expression. “Or so I thought.” I crossed my arms, waiting for her to explain.

“Tae is offering me a partnership. He wants me to lead beside him. He is offering me...” she frowned, “a relationship without a relationship. The securities of one, yet no emotion.”

I knew immediately I was in trouble. She had to be kidding herself right now? He wasn’t just offering her a business partnership, he was offering her… him. To be a part of his life. To be equal. To share his responsibilities. There was only one label for that.

“He wants you to be his wife.” The bitterness that spread through me at the thought of her being someone else’s wife consumed me quickly, washing through my blood.

She nodded her head. “Yeah, basically.”

I just stared at her. I was gone a day. ONE DAY! And this is what happens? How many times did I have to tell her I loved her? Clearly, my love for her wasn’t going to be enough. I shoved my hands in my jeans pockets, feeling all types of sick.

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