Page 161 of Give Me Love
I scoff. “You think this is the way to get me to talk? By dissing my clothes?”
I look to Claire and Austin, realizing that along with us, they’re the only ones in here. Where are the employees?
“Claire, Austin. Would you mind giving us a moment? I’ll see that K gets home.”
I don’t say anything. I can see that I get home. And I’m okay with them not witnessing everything we say to each other.
“Call me tomorrow,” Claire says. I nod and lift my hand to Austin. Once they’re out, I hear the door shut behind them, leaving us completely alone.
“Where is everyone?”
“Ben got them out. There’s nobody here but us. I’m sorry I didn’t answer… I’m sorry about earlier.”
My pulse quickens as he mentions what I walked in on this afternoon.
He walks closer to me, looking torn and beautiful, but his eyes have dark circles and are red-rimmed, reminding me of why I’m so angry.
“What haveyoubeen up to?” I ask slowly, accusingly as I assess him.
He averts my judging eyes, which tells me more than he cares to admit.
“Did you fuck her?”
“What?” he asks, his head snapping back to me. He looks as though I’ve slapped him.
I take a step back.
His eyes narrow, and I see panic wash over his face.
My heart splinters more.
Jesus, how much of this can I take? I shake my head as tears well up.
“I’ve been doing a lot,” he says. “But fucking isn’t one of them.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask, shaking my head. “And how in the world am I supposed to believe you?”
“How can you not?” he asks incredulously. “Have I given you any reason not to trust me? Didn’t I promise I wouldn’t lie to you?”
I remember back on our conversation in his apartment above the club. We did promise each other we would always be honest.
Maybe he hasn’t given me a reason not to trust him, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s been punishing me when I’ve already been punishing myself for days on end. It doesn’t change the fact that I walked in on him with a girl covering the body I love.
“Maybe you haven’t, but it doesn’t change what I saw. I don’t know what to think or what to do, Bryce.” I look down at the cement floor. “It isn’t easy for me to open up to people. I don’t take what we shared between us lightly. You don’t understand what I went through as a kid and I know it’s because I haven’t told you, but it’s hard. And I find you drunk and whatever else with another woman on top of you. You hurt me.”
“I didn’t do anything. How can I hurt you when I’ve done nothing?” He throws his hands up.
“I can’t do this.” How can he not see how this all looks? I turn to leave, but he grabs my hand and spins me around, backing me up against the bar. Sapphire eyes shine like the gems they are, and his rough hands scratch my needy skin.
“Don’t go,” he says.
I narrow my eyes at his. He runs his finger down the side of my face, and my heart begs to rip my ribcage open and fly to him, but he’s a mess and I’m possibly worse. “I didn’t want to fall for you,” he says. “But then you lookedatme, and holy shit,” he whispers. Bryce shakes his head in disbelief. “It was no longer up to me.”
He grabs my neck and our lips collide, but I push him away from me.
“Stop,” I say, holding my hands up. I shake my head. “That’s not how relationships work. I can’t do this,” I say disbelievingly.
Did he really think he could come in here and we fuck and everything be back to normal?
