Page 55 of Glass Jawed
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That Saturday, Lucian and I are a tangled mess in his bed—legs intertwined, skin still warm from a slow morning. The kind of morning that makes you think life could always be this soft.
My shift at the café starts in a couple hours. Which means this is my window.
Now or never.
I tell myself that if I bring it up now, at least I’ll be giving him space afterward. Let him process it alone. On his terms.
I texted Liam earlier.
Me: Today’s the day. Please don’t say anything yet.
I wish Kashvi were still here.
She flew back almost a week ago, but she’d helped me map out what to say. Whatnotto say. She’d even coached me on what kind of reaction to expect from a man like Lucian—one who doesn’t like to look back.
Now, all of that prep feels like dust in my mouth.
I slowly sit up, propping myself on one elbow.
Lucian’s lying flat, his arm slung lazily over his stomach. His lips are slightly parted. He looks... peaceful. Like something heavy in him had finally rested.
And I’m about to ruin that. Fuck.
I lean over and brush my fingers against his jaw. “Luc...”
He cracks one eye open, smiling sleepily. “Mmm.”
“I need to tell you something,” I say, gently. “But I need you to let me finish. Just hear me out. Please don’t shut me down.”
His smile twitches, fades a little. “Baby, is this a ’we need to talk’kind of moment?”
I laugh nervously. “No. Not at all.”
I push myself upright, sitting cross-legged now. Lucian mimics the motion, sitting back against the headboard, studying me. The softness is gone from his features. It’s not hostility—just quiet alertness. A flicker of apprehension behind his eyes.
I take a breath.
“Tim approached me a few days ago... and we talked.”
I don’t sugarcoat it. No buildup. No excuses. Just the truth.
His expression hardens instantly. That’s all it takes.
I rush to fill the silence. “I didn’t want you to hear it from someone else, so I’m telling you. I’ll walk you through exactly what we talked about—”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
His voice is sharp. Not loud. But final.
“Lucian,please,” I say, grabbing his hand. “I’m not defending him. I just need you to know.”
His jaw clenches, but he doesn’t pull away.
“I didn’t say much to him. I shut him down at first, but he said he wanted closure. That maybe it would help me, too.”
Lucian looks away. He’s staring past me now. Like there’s something on the wall he needs to burn a hole through.
