“Can you send me the video? I need to edit it before submission,” she adds, swinging her bag over her shoulder.
“You’ll have it tonight,” I reply, rising to my feet.
“Thank you for the interview, Mr. Hayes.” She turns and is about to head for the door when I let it out.
“I need you to spend the night with me.”
She stiffens, then turns to me, her eyes blazing. “You know, I thought all these years would have changed you. But no, you’re still the same asshole.”
“I didn’t mean it like that, Anna.” I take a step forward, closing the space between us until her floral scent wraps around me. “I just… I don’t want this to be the end of the conversation. We still have matters to discuss.”
“We don’t have anything to discuss. Our story is over.”
“Anna, give me this one chance to—”
“To what? Break my heart again?” she snaps, cutting me off before I can finish.
I shake my head. “I just need a chance to explain. Everyone deserves a chance.”
Her jaw tightens as she spits out, “You don’t deserve it.”
“Anna… for the sake of the good memories we shared, please don’t deny me this.” My chest tightens as I speak, every word a fight to keep control of myself. I want to pull her into my arms, to feel her close, but I force myself to stay grounded, to let my words reach her instead, even if every part of me is screaming to cross that line.
She exhales sharply, as though trying to push me out of her lungs. “You need to stop…”
“Please, Anna. I’m not asking for forever. I’m not even asking for forgiveness. I’m asking for now.” I’m not above begging, not with her. “You can walk away tomorrow and never speak to me again. But give me this one chance.”
She shakes her head, her voice quieter now, almost like she’s talking to herself. “I don’t think—”
“Don’t think,” I cut in before she can talk herself into believing this is a bad idea. “Just… stay.”
Her eyes soften for the briefest moment before hardening again. She folds her arms across her chest, building a barrier I’m itching to break through.
“You don’t deserve even a minute,” she shoots back, her arms tightening around herself. Silence stretches between us, thick enough to choke on, before she finally continues, “But I guess I need it. For my own closure.”
I release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I fucking know she’s not here to forgive me. But it’s the first crack in her wall, and I’ll take it.
And fuck me if I’m going to let this be our closure.
Chapter 7
Anna
I don’t know why I even agreed to his irrational request. I don’t owe him anything—not my time, not my attention, not even the tiniest flicker of forgiveness. And yet, my stupid heart said yes before my brain could slam on the brakes.
Maybe it’s because I’m still chasing closure, still craving the answers he never gave about how he shattered us and managed to walk away like it was nothing.
Or maybe… it’s just a moment of weakness.
“I was thinking we could order your favorite Chinese,” Landon says, cutting straight through my thoughts.
God, the asshole is hell-bent on making it impossible to hold on to my hatred. But I remind myself that this is Landon. He’s always known how to charm his way into a heart, only to shatter it the moment it becomes too real and starts to feel like a burden.
But this time, I refuse to be his puppet.
Pulling in a deep breath, I find him smiling at me as he leans against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over his chest like we’re just two old friends catching up. We’re fuckingnot. Not even close. And I want to throw that reminder right in hisface, but the way his blue eyes lock on me, as if cataloging every breath I take, makes me too nervous to even form the words.
“That’s not necessary,” I manage to say. “I need to go home and get my clothes.”
