“He and Sire bump heads more often than he and I do because Sire is petty and likes to hold grudges. I don’t care anymore. He’s an asshole; we should move on, but when he says slick shit, he gets punched for it. Like today.”
“What'd he say today?” I ask although a part of me doesn't want to know.
August rolls his eyes at whatever it is. “It was something about sleeping with you or dating you. I don't know, but Sire punched him before he could finish his sentence.” He laughs, but I feel my face heat, and it hurts me more that Liam rubbed that in their face… maybe I really was just a way to get at my brothers.
I muster up a smile and grab the bags he brought over. “I'll be right back.” I head for my makeup room, and as I open the closet door, Liam stands from his seat on the floor.
“Is he-”
“What'd you say to Sire for him to punch you?”
He doesn't hesitate to tell the truth. “He said my girl was embarrassing, and I told him not to talk about you like that.”
I shake my head at him, knowing he didn't say that to defend but to make him mad. “August is still out there, but you can just walk out and go home.”
He looks confused now as he watches me. “He'd see me?”
“I know that, but there's nothing to hide since we're no longer together. Go home.” My voice breaks, and I hate that it does. He walks over to me, but I walk backward. “I mean it.”
“I'm not giving up on you.” He stalks towards me.
“You threw it in my brother's face that we were together. You're really going to stand here and tell me there wasn't a single thought in your head that entailed-”
“No, Sage.” He stops me before I can say it again, and my back hits the wall as he closes in on me. “You think too highly of your brothers if you believe I'd spend time thinking about them enough to plot sleeping with you. I actually tried to stay away from you because I didn't want this exact same problem, but then I fell in love with your damn dimples and perfect smile, Sage. I fell in love with you.Allof you. I'm in love with you, and it has absolutely nothing to do with either of them.”
His scent mixed with his words and the small space between us are all too much at once, and I can't bring myself to say anything.
“I love you,” he says one more time. I shake my head as I look to the side, but he leans down and catches my eyes. “I do.”
“You're a liar.”
“So tell me what it is I’m feeling, Sage. Tell me how I feel about you because every time I so much as hear your name, my heart feels like it’s doing backflips. Every time I see you cry, I feel like my skin is disintegrating, and the only reason I don’t fucking die for hurting you is because I’m going to die trying to fix this. If that’s not love, thentell mewhat it is because I’ve never loved anyone, and I fucking adore you.”
He brings his forehead to mine, and I nearly hold my breath, willing myself not to admit that I fell for him too, and he hurt me anyway.
“You need to leave,” is all I can choke out.
He cups my face, forcing me to look at him. “Tell me you don't love me, and I'll go.”
I open my mouth, but he goes on.
“I can't promise I won't be back, but tell me you don't love me, and I'll let you have this last night of peace before I beg you for the next ten years to take me back.” He looks between my eyes like they're his life support, and it forces a weight in my chest.
“Just go, Liam.” My voice falls into a whisper, but he doesn't seem to have lost a sliver of hope.
“If you're mad I lied, then fine. If you're hurt because youthinkI just used you, then I'll prove you otherwise, but I think we both know you're just scared of your brothers.” His words are bitter now, pulling me away from him.
“I'm notscaredof them or anyone.”
He looks down at me for a beat before walking out without a single word. I follow after him, but his quick pace carries him out of the closet faster than me.
“What are you doing?”
“If you're not scared of them, you won't care if your twin knows about us.”
He walks out of my makeup room before I can even think to stop him. August and Hazel have their backs to us but turn at thesound of our footsteps. I watch August's smile drop before the confusion hits as he looks between us.
“What-” He cuts himself off as he slowly stands from the couch.
