Page 76 of The Truth of Loving You

And that was officially my breaking point. I hung up the phone.

Chapter forty-one

Cole

“Whatareyouguysdoing tonight?” Alec flopped down in the chair across from my desk.

“I’m going to finish sketching this tattoo, and then I’m headed upstairs. You?” I turned my drawing sideways trying to get a different perspective.

“You’re not celebrating?” Alec sounded surprised, and I met his gaze with confusion.

“What do you know that I don’t?” I asked. Alec liked to talk shit, but he seemed genuine.

He shifted uncomfortably in the chair, deciding what to say. “You know with the new program Shane made, I’ve been emailing our clients for their birthdays. A way to keep us on their minds and generate repeat business.”

“It’s been a success, then. Our sales are up?” I started shading the heart in the tattoo.

“Today is Shane’s birthday,” Alec said in such a rush I almost didn’t understand him. “Gotta go.” He darted out of the room and left me frozen with my mouth open.

My thumb scrolled through our texts over the last couple of days. Shane hadn’t dropped any hints and told me he wasn’t feeling well today so he was going to bed early.

Shane shouldn’t celebrate his birthday alone. Sick or not, my man loved chocolate, and he deserved the best for his birthday.

Two hours later, I was at his door ready to take care of him and celebrate his time on this earth. When he opened the door, he looked wrecked. He had dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept since I’d seen him three days ago; his hair was sticking out in all directions, but his dead eyes scared me the most.

I pulled him into a fierce hug. “I want to take care of you tonight, and you look like you need it.” I released him and set the bags down on the island next to the dead flower arrangement I’d made for him. Turning, I noticed, “You got your cast off. That’s great. I would’ve gone with you. Is that what hurts?”

His lack of expression had a zombie-like quality like he was devastated not sick. “Why are you here? I said I was going to bed early.”

“I know.” A quick scan of his apartment offered no clues to what was going on with him. He’d hung the painting I’d done for him, and my heart leapt with that small token of our relationship. “I heard that today’s your birthday, and I brought chocolate truffles from the bakery you love. I don’t want you to be alone, so I’m here.”

“I don’t celebrate our birthday.” Shane’s expression never changed, and his voice was completely monotone—the AI version of Shane, not human at all.

“Okay.” I shrugged. “Chocolate for a weekday pick-me-up.” I unloaded the bags.

“Dragon,” Shane said.

Ice ran through my veins so fast it forced all the air out of my body as if I’d been punched in the gut. He wasn’t...he didn’t... “What are you saying?”

“I’m using my safe word to end this. You need to leave.” Again, there was no emotion in his voice. No anger or irritation or sorrow or anything.

I approached him like a cornered wild animal, but his eyes stayed fixed on the wall not tracking my movements. Something was terribly wrong.

“Baby,” I said softly, standing in front of him and gently folding him into my arms. “What happened?”

Shane remained stiff. Usually, when I called him baby he melted and became boneless.

“Dragon,” he repeated.

Knowing that something devastating had Shane in a state of shock made me feel helpless. All I wanted to do was make it better, and he was forcing me to leave. Shane was stubborn. No matter how much he needed me if I pushed him, he would refuse. Letting go of him was like ripping out a part of my heart. It felt final. As if when I dropped my arms, I was admitting that I wasn’t what Shane needed.

“I love you. If you don’t believe anything else, believe that. It’s the truth.” I had so much more to say but what was the point.

I don’t think there was anything else I could’ve done to prove he was my everything. It killed me that those three words weren’t enough.

I left Shane’s apartment wondering if I’d ever see him again. I was afraid love was going to destroy me for the second time.

Tonight was no different from the previous few. I laid awake staring at the exposed pipes in the loft. Shane had texted me the morning after his birthday saying that he was going through some stuff and would call me when he figured it out.

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