Page 110 of Would You Rather
“What are you doing here?” I ask him.
“I came to talk to my girlfriend face to face since she’s been avoiding my texts.” His tone is accusatory, and I press my lips together, staring up at him. I should have known he wouldn’t have stopped until he talked to me. “What the hell are you thinking coming here?” he asks. “I told you to stay home.”
His eyes narrow, knowing I read his texts, I just didn’t answer them. I cross my arms, looking to my side. “I couldn’t stay at home.”
“Why not?” he asks, taking a step closer to me. “Afraid I’d come see you again?” I can feel his body heat and my lips part, letting out a breath from how close he is to me. “Question number twenty.” My breath hitches as he narrows his eyes on me. “Why are you avoiding me, Madeline?”
“Don’t.”
“Answer the question,” he demands.
I shake my head, squeezing my eyes closed. “You warned me,” I remind him. “You told me I would have to deal with this, with hate comments and lies being spread about me, and I didn’t listen.” I drop my head, a strained laugh leaving my lips. “I guess what they’re saying about me is true after all.”
He grunts, lifting my chin to look up at him. “I told you not to read those damn comments. Don’t you dare listen to them. They don’t know us, and they don’t know everything that happened between us.”
I shake my head, my eyes brimming with tears. I drop my head, backing away from him. “I should have never signed that stupid contract.” I squeeze my eyes closed, a rush of the past twenty-four hours flooding my mind. “This was a mistake,” I whisper.
I feel him flinch, and I instinctively look up at him to see a frown on his lips. The silence between us is deafening as he processes my words. “Tell me you don’t mean that.” When I don’t reply, his eyebrows tug together. “A mistake?” he repeats, hurt spread across his face. Taking a step toward me, he shakes his head. “No. A mistake was me taking for granted how happy I was, thinking something wouldn’t bite us in the ass. A mistake was me assuming your little crush would just back off and let you go. Butwewere never a mistake.”
“Lucas—”
He clutches my face while he wipes away the tears spilling down my eyes. “Question number twenty-one,” he whispers, staring down at me with anguish. “Do you love me?”
My eyes widen as I look up at him. “What?”
“Say it. Tell me you don’t love me,” he challenges, his eyes locked on mine. “You’ve been ignoring me, and even now, you’re acting like everything that happened between us meant nothing to you. So if you want to be done with me, at least tell me that.” A shaky breath leaves his lips, and his eyes narrow. “Say it, and I’ll leave. Just tell me you don’t love me.”
I shake my head. “I…” My words get caught in my throat. How can he ask that of me? How does he think I don’t love him when he’s the only person I allow to touch me, to kiss me?
“Lie to me,” he urges, rubbing his thumb over my cheek. “Break my heart, Madeline. Come on.”
I shake my head, tears streaming down my face.
“You can’t, can you?” he asks. I tilt my head up, staring into his eyes. “Because you love me,” he finishes, his frown deepening. I let out a breath, not daring to reply. “Just like I love you.”
My breath gets caught in my lungs at his words, and I force myself to let out a heavy breath. “I’m not weak,” I tell him, my brows furrowing. I step back, and my hand lifts, wiping away the rogue tears. What is it about him that makes it so easy to let go? I never used to cry. I didn’t need a guy to make me happy. I had no interest in one. Until him.
“You’re so strong,” he agrees, nodding.
My breaths come faster, heavier. “I don’t need you. I don’t need a guy. I can take care of myself.”
“I know,” he assures, nodding. I see the hurt in his eyes, but he continues. “And I don’t ever want to hold you back, but I needyou. So much.” His hand curls at the nape of my neck, and he leans forward, dropping his forehead on mine. “I want to marry you someday,” he blurts out, making my heart stop. “So you need to tell me why you’ve been avoiding me, so we can fix whatever the issue is because I’m not letting you go.” He pulls back, and his eyes lock on mine. “Tell me what I did, and I’ll get on my knees and beg for your forgiveness, but I’m not walking out of your life without a fight.”
My heart beats a mile a minute, and I glance up at him. “What?” I ask breathlessly.
“You heard me,” he says, the corner of his lips lifting slightly as his thumb rubs over my cheek. “I told you before, you’re it for me. So, hell yes, I want to marry you.” He leans down, pressing his lips to my forehead. “Just let me in, baby, please,” he whispers.
I melt into him, closing my eyes as tears fall down my face. I shake my head against his lips. “I lost the part in the audition.”
“Fuck,” he curses, pulling back and grabbing my face in his hands. “Because of what they’re saying about us?”
I nod, closing my eyes again when he pulls me into him. “I really thought this was my shot.”
“I’m so sorry,” he whispers. “I’m so fucking sorry, Mads.”
“It’s not your fault,” I tell him. “It’s mine. It’s all because of me. Your career’s ruined because of me.”
“Fuck my career,” he says, frowning. “That’s the last thing I care about right now. You know how miserable I’ve been thinking you were done with me?”
