I laugh through a sob, and he holds me tighter.
“I would have worked every day to be worthy of someone like you. And not a single one of them would have passed, where you didn’t know exactly what you meant to me.”
“Jace, please,pleasestop.”
He has no idea. No idea how he is gutting me.
I try to turn away, to hide the onslaught of tears now choking me, pooling behind my closed eyes. It’s foolish to think avoiding his stare will save me when I’m already completely wrecked.
He doesn’t let me get away with it anyway. He pulls my face back to his. My head and heart war, half of me wanting to give in and half of me knowing we’ll damn ourselves and everyone else if we do.
“Let me stay. Please. Give me one night to stay and hold you. We won’t do anything, but we deserve this. One night.”
His tearful gaze, his hands, are relentless, refusing to let me shy away from what we both know I want.
But I made a promise. To my friend. My sister.
And to myself.
“I’m sorry.” I get to my feet. “But you need to go.”
He stares at me, stunned, as if his entire world just stopped spinning. Then he gets to his feet and, without a word, walks out.
My dreams are haunted by him. Of his arms around me, of the heat of his skin on mine, of the love that burns right through his eyes whenever we’re alone.
But that’s just it.
I don’t want to be loved behind closed doors.
Because a love like that is lonelier than no love at all.
* Cue:lomlby Taylor Swift
75
SERENA
9 DAYS
“Come in.”
I’m surprised when Zadyn slips through my door, looking dazzling in a dark blue jacket with silver embroidery. A crisp white shirt peeks out from beneath, making his tan skin pop.
“You’re not dressed.” He comes to lean against my vanity as I slide on a pair of silver earrings.
I shrug. “It won’t take me long.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Great.”
“I mean about the wedding,” he says.
“Great.I’m happy for them.” I paste a smile on my face and peer up into his big brown eyes.
“You are not.” He reaches out to flick my nose. I flinch, scoffing in surprise.
Is he flirting?
