Page 146 of Tainted Romance

“You eaten?” Zane said, walking in and sitting in the chair next to my bed.

“Um, not hungry.”

“You should eat.”

I frowned and shrugged my shoulders. I wasn’t hungry. I kept flicking through the channels. Why couldn’t theMisfitsbe on?

“We need to talk.”

My eyes snapped to Zane. “Why are you here?” I frowned, trying to read his expression. It was masked. “You know I’m fine. You know I’m awake. You would know I’m going home tomorrow. So why are you here?”

Zane looked me in the eye. “I have to tell you something.”

“Ok.” I frowned. Why was he being so serious? That look in his eyes, I had never seen it before. With all the games we had played, never once had he looked at me like that; like he was about to bring up something so serious he needed my full attention.

He gripped my arm, and I got up off the bed. He pulled me into his lap, with his arm going around me.

Zane and I never did close. We never touched, so, right now, my body was on fire at his touch.

His hand rested on my thigh, and his other hand brought my face to his.

“Don’t leave.”

I closed my eyes. It was about that? “I have to, Zane.”

“No, you don’t.”

He was killing me. Touching me. Telling me not to go.

“I can’t be around you. You can’t be around me. It makes sense I leave.” Surely, he knew that. God, it was obvious.

I went to get up, but his grip tightened on me. Keeping me on his lap.

“I love you.”

I frowned. No way I heard that. I turned to look at him. The look in his eyes. The expression on his face.

“I’m not fighting it anymore,” he whispered. “I want you. I love you.” His expression didn’t change. “Do you hear me?”

I opened and shut my mouth. “No. Nope. Not happening.” I pushed his hands off me and got up. I pointed a finger at him. “There are two sides to you. One will say that, and another will stab my heart out for fun or worse, just ignore me.”

“Allie, I’m serious. I’m not playing a game.” Zane got up quickly, standing in front of me. His hands went to my hips, and he pulled me in. “I want you.”

“Sure, you do.” I shook my head. “And tomorrow when you wake up and realize what you’ve done, you will stop talking to me.”

“If I do that, then you can leave, but I’m telling you it isn’t going to happen.” Zane’s hand ran up me, and it was making it hard for me to think.

I shook my head. “Nope, I’m leaving. As soon as I’m out of here, I’m clearing it with your dad.”

“Stop saying that! You aren’t leaving! I’m not letting that happen!”

“Zane, listen to yourself. Are you really telling me you want to spend the rest of your life with me? You can barely have a conversation with me!”

“No.” He shook his head. “No way am I letting you do what you did with Blake. Trying to talk me out of it. Not happening. You’re mine, and you’re coming home with me tonight.”

“What!”

“Tonight. Right now. Get your shit. I’m taking you home.”

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