The grin falls from his face. “Mina, what’s wrong?” He’s at my side in an instant.
I stumble out of bed and take the corner furthest away from him, holding my hand up so he stays back. “I want you to leave. Now.”
The hurt that crosses his face almost makes me hurl, but I force myself to keep looking at him.
It’ll be the last time I do.
The truth is, I never deserved him or any of the love he gave me. This is for the best. He’ll be happier with someone who isn’t me. He?—
No, but I fucking want him. He’smine. I bent over backward to makeushappen, and I was fucking stupid not to jump into his arms the moment he told me he wanted me too.
“Did your mother say something?” My legs threaten to give out from the weight of his anger. “I swear to God, we’ll go there right fucking now because I’m not going to stand here and watch her keep hurting you like this.”
A sob breaks out of me. Even though I’m trying to push him away, his first thought is freeing me from my mother. To putmefirst.
“I haven’t spoken to her.” I don’t want to do this. Saying what comes next feels like swallowing barbed wire. “I’m sorry. I don’t want you. It was just a phase.”
I slam my hand over my mouth in a useless attempt to keep my cries at bay. He’s so still, like I’ve pressed Pause on the screen so he’s frozen in time, staring at me in pained disbelief.
Slowly, he delivers the next words with deadly precision. “What did you just say?”
I don’t want to be here. I’d rather die than say the next part, but it must be done.
“I was only in it for the chase. Th-the idea of you. You and I were never going to work.” It comes out barely intelligible.
In the silence that follows, I swear I hear his heart splinter into a thousand pieces. Each shard lands in me with lethal precision.
I sob, wrapping my arms around myself, and bending over with the need to collapse. I can’t do this anymore.
“You...” He takes a deep breath. “You don’t mean it. Did your mother put you up to this?”
I whip my head side to side. I’m too much of a coward to look at what I’ve done. I’ve fucking destroyed us, and he’ll never know it’s to save him. This person may never rest until I’m in the dirt. But at least I’m the only one who will pay the real price.
“This is my decision, Leo. Please.”
“Who was it then? Jack?”
“No, it wasn’t Jack or Mom.”
“Then who? Because this isn’t happening. Someone put you up to this. Tell me.”
“It’s my choice.”Stop fighting me. Please.
“I don’t believe that for a second.”
“I’m not lying,” I lie.
“You can’t honestly expect me to believe you’re serious after everything that’s happened between us.”
“I’m sorry. Leave?—”
“No.” His voice is a harsh snap. “Don’t you fucking dare apologize?—”
“Justgo!” I scream. He’s making it harder than it needs to be. “Leave and don’t ever fucking come back. I’ll never be yours, so stop wasting either of our time and just go.” I finally look up at him and wish I didn’t.
“I don’t accept that.”
“Leo, don’t make me say it again.”
