Page 930 of One More Kiss

Tate got on her knees and held out her hand. It was close enough that she could have just grabbed me. But she didn’t. She was going to wait for me.

“It’s not that easy.”

She nodded. “No. You’re right. It’s not. But it is easier when you’re not alone.”

I shook my head. “I won’t drag you down with me, Tate. I won’t.”

But she just offered a smile. A perfectly genuine smile. That right there was proof that she was better than me. And deserved better than me.

I backed up, crouching right at the edge.

I could see her breath stop. But she stayed calm, her hand still extended, the lifeline there for the taking.

“Daniel.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. It would be so fast if I just did it. “Why are you doing this?” My words came out strangled.

“Because I love you,” she said, and my face mangled at the words. “You don’t believe me?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know what I believe.”

With that, she sat down, putting her hands on her lap. “Okay. Look down then. Look at the space between you and the rocks. You and the end. Because it would be just that, Daniel. Not the end of pain. Just the end. Everything gone. Including your mom. And Luca, who, by the way, told me to come find you. He’s worried about you.”

“I don’t want people to worry about me,” I practically spat the words.

A tear slipped down her cheek. It was the first sign that she was breaking, too. “He loves you. A lot of people love you. Not the idea of you, Daniel. The real you. Because you may think you have people fooled. But even with the mask on, with all the smoke and mirrors, you can’t hide all of yourself. It’s love. Fuck, even Nate cares about you. And he’s not capable of most human feelings.”

I let out a single laugh, though I wasn’t smiling.

“Now, look at me. Look at the end. And look at me. Dark and light. Cold and warm. What do you want?”

I did as she said. “It’s not that—”

“What. Do. You. Want?”

I stared down.

Gripped the rocks in my hands.

Inched closer.

Squeezed my eyes shut.

And lunged….

…to her.

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