“Did it mean nothing? Were you using me, Gage? Something to brag about to your friends? Just a hookup you wanted to forget? Is that why you ignored and humiliated me at school afterward?”
“No,” he growls, finally looking at me. “During that weekend, I found out something about my father. It ruined everything.”
“What?” I pull my hand away.
“He was dating the woman designing his office, and things had grown serious. When he said her last name and mentioned her daughter, everything clicked. I knew what it meant.”
That he couldn’t face public scrutiny about who his dad dated? Or that I was related to the woman his father was sleeping with?
“And that was what?” I ask, needing clarification.
“I needed to put distance between us.”
“Wow.”
Gage shakes his head. “You don’t understand yet. I didn’t want to make things awkward, Letty. My dad never went into detail before that day. I didn’t know that Cynthia had a daughter, or that she attended the same school I did, until that night. The same fucking day that we watched the sunrise. Fuck.”
“The same day?” I repeat as he frowns. “That doesn’t seem like a coincidence.”
What if Mifflin had his son followed? A security detail? The Blades are rich. They own half this town and are deeply rooted in its foundation—a lot of old money and political ties. Blades have been mayors and senators.
The Blade lineage doesn’t mix with poor blood like my family. But that doesn’t make sense because he married my mom. I’m confused. This isn’t making sense.
“I wanted more, and I had to walk away. It was too dangerous with you, Letty. It only got harder when they became engaged. I couldn’t fuck around with the girl who would become my stepsister. I was ordered not to involve my family in scandal.”
Scandal? “I see.”
“Those were my father’s words, not mine, Letty.”
“So, he knew about us? The night we shared?”
“Yes. He never admitted it, but he didn’t have to because his reaction proved it.”
“He spied on you.”
“He did.” Gage stares into my eyes with a pain I’ve never seen before now. “I didn’t want that scrutiny to fall on you, Letty. I pushed you away.”
“I’d say it was more than that, Gage,” I reply, swallowing down the sudden lump in my throat. I back up several steps, and he watches me with a frown. Gage didn’t have to humiliate me in the process. Or let his brothers ruin my reputation. It didn’t matter that I was a virgin. Everyone at school believed the vicious rumors spread about me.
“I know. Fuck, Letty. I know I hurt you.”
I don’t deny it.
“I ignored you because I didn’t trust myself to do the right thing.”
“So you decided to be an asshole instead? Let your brothers treat me like shit?” I can’t keep the venom from my voice.
“No. It wasn’t like that.” He spears a hand through his hair. “I beat Liam’s ass for spreading those rumors. Didn’t you see Theo’s broken nose?”
I blink, trying to remember. They both came to school with unexplained injuries and said it happened at football practice. “You could have told me. It would have changed so much.” I wouldn’t have hated him. Maybe it wouldn’t change my broken heart, but at least I had a reason for him pulling away from me.
“Letty, it doesn’t change a damn thing.”
“What doesn’t?”
“The wedding. I don’t care if you’re my family because they exchanged rings and made a vow. That’s their fucking decision, and like them, we can make our own.”
Woah. “What are you saying?”
