Total pages in book: 185
Estimated words: 191421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 957(@200wpm)___ 766(@250wpm)___ 638(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 191421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 957(@200wpm)___ 766(@250wpm)___ 638(@300wpm)
But for some reason, I don’t feel good.
I don’t feel vindicated.
At the fact that I got my wish. He’s suffering and guilty and miserable like me. That for the first time in my life, I see his eyes, his sharp beautiful features swimming in guilt.
All I feel is… sad. Or rather even more sad.
That so many things were destroyed that night.
Trust. Loyalty. Love. Friendship.
All lost because of one kiss.
One kiss was all it took.
To launch a war. To break hearts. To shift the ground beneath us.
“Well, I hope you like the taste of champagne,” he says, breaking into my thoughts. “Because it looks like you’re the one who’ll be celebrating tonight.”
I flinch as he throws my own words back at me, from The Horny Bard.
“I’m not —”
“But before that,” his chest moves on a sigh, “you need to get out of here.”
“I —”
“He isn’t in any shape to listen to you. And you don’t wanna listen to whatever he might have to say when he’s like this.” He glances down at my fists in his t-shirt. “Might break your pink little heart.”
“Yeah, like you care,” I scoff more from habit than anything else.
But then I pause.
Because he pauses too.
He was in the process of removing my hands from his body but at my words, he freezes for a second and I’m left… silent and thinking.
And what I’m thinking is…
It’s frankly ridiculous.
It’s hilarious actually.
I don’t even know why the thought occurred to me. Why would it flash through my mind even for a microsecond? That he’s somehow trying to… protect me.
Protect. Me.
I mean, it’s the most nonsensical thing I’ve ever thought in my life.
But before I can stop myself, I ask, tightening my grip on his t-shirt, “Is that why you told me to stay away from him? Back at The Horny Bard. Because he’s changed and he might break my heart.”
He shoots his eyes up, again trying to dislodge my hands. “Your pink little heart, but yes.”
Oh my God.
Oh my freaking God.
He is.
He is trying to protect me.
He is…
What a fucking asshole.
What a fucking jerk.
After years of tormenting me, putting me down, making me feel less than, now he swoops in to protect me. I mean, where does he get off?
For several seconds, I can’t say anything.
I’m speechless. I’m fucking…
But I need to say something. I need to approach this. Whatever this is.
Whatever ridiculous joke this is.
“Okay, let’s talk about this,” I begin, looking him in the eyes, letting go of his t-shirt. “Because I feel like we need to talk about this. And it’s the craziest thing that I’ve ever said but here goes.” I take a deep breath. “You don’t need to protect me.”
I expect him to say something at this.
Or at least show some sort of reaction.
Shock maybe. Or amusement that I’d even say something like this.
But he doesn’t.
So I keep going. “Because that’s what you’re doing, aren’t you? You’re protecting me.”
Again, I give him a chance to laugh at me.
Any second now he’s going to smirk and say something mean. He’s going to say that I’ve lost my mind and that I should stop embarrassing myself.
But once again, he doesn’t.
All he does is work his jaw back and forth, a pulse beating on his cheek, as he stares and stares at me. And I…
I feel angry. Again.
But now that I have some confirmation about my suspicions, I also feel… breathless.
My heart’s racing like a crazy bird and I swallow thickly.
“You realize,” I begin slowly, my chest heaving, “that this is crazy, right? You realize that the idea of you, Reign Marcus Davidson, protecting me, Echo Ann Adler, is fucking insane. It’s beyond fucking insane. It’s unreal. It’s unnatural. It’s fucking science fiction.”
Okay, I should calm down.
Or I’ll punch him in the face. And pass out with how fast my heart’s beating.
“I don’t need you to protect me,” I continue in a calmer voice. “I don’t even know why you’d want to. It’s me and it’s you. We hate each other. We make each other sick. If anything, I need protection from you. Not from my ex-boyfriend. I can handle my ex-boyfriend, okay? So I don’t need your protection. What I need is…”
“The only thing you need to do is stay the fuck away from him,” he says when I trail off, my mind churning.
“But you just said that he is spiraling.”
“Yeah and I can handle him.”
“You can’t.”
“I —”
“You’re not his friend anymore.”
His nostrils flare at the reminder. “And you’re not his fucking girlfriend.”
I take in my own deep, painful breath at that. “You had two years. Two years, Reign, and you haven’t been able to.” It looks like he’s going to say something but I don’t let him. “And it’s not your fault. I’m sorry that I suggested that. I really am. I know you’re a good friend. I mean, I’d know, right? I’ve seen you two together. I’ve put up with your hate for years because you always thought I was beneath him. So please believe me when I tell you you’re a good friend. But maybe we need to try something different. Which is why I shouldn’t stay away from him. Which is why I have to do something. I have to step in and save Lucas.”