Because you have more to say.
“As for how I’m looking at you right now, that’s nothing to do with the plans you kept from me.” I wanted to finish this so I could retreat. Break down in private, so Dominic would never know how truly he’d broken me. The power I’d given him to break me.
His jaw was tight, but he didn’t look away from me. “What do you mean?”
Seriously? He had to ask? “Remember what else you promised me? The agreement webothmade not to tell anyone?”
Dominic’s eyes fluttered closed as his lips formed a silent curse.
“Yeah,” I said bitterly. “Guess you were lying about that too. Dominic Walker, the good liar.”
His eyes flew open at that. “Well, there’s one thing I didn’t lie about, Shadow. I love you.”
“How can I believe that?”
“Because you know it’s true,” he said fiercely. “I love you, Ryan.”
“Why?”
His brows twitched. “Why what?”
“Why do you love me?” I said slowly. “Do you love me because I have sex with you?”
“Of course not,” he snapped. “I love you because you’reyou. Because you refuse to follow the crowd. Because you go your own way. I love you because you make me laugh. Because you’re not afraid of me. Because you make mehappy.”
I wanted to believe it. My heart was screaming at me to believe it, but the poison Max had dripped into me earlier was too powerful to ignore. “Max makes you happy too.”
Dominic frowned. “What’s Max got to do with it?”
“Everything, given what you’ve told him.” I shook my head. “Why did you have to tell him, Dom?”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I thought I was doing the right thing. I didn’t want to hurt Max.”
His words cleaved straight through my heart. “So instead you hurt me.”
A long pause. “Yes. I can see that now.”
“Is that why you did all of this?” I whispered. “Did you come after me because of Max?”
Confusion flickered in his eyes, but I didn’t buy it. Not after what Max had said.
“Why would I do that?”
Fuck, he was going to make me spell it out. The hate I’d thought I buried long ago stirred a little in my soul. “Because Max is straight. Good thing he has an identical brother you can fuck instead.”
Dominic gave a disbelieving laugh. “You can’t seriously think that?”
“Can you blame me?” I shrugged. “You and Max are close. Closer than most people. It’s not a stretch to think you could be in love with him. That I’m some sort of…stand-in for what you can’t have. Maybe that’s why you couldn’t bear the idea of hurting him. You didn’t have any issue doing it to me.”
“Except I do have an issue with it,” Dominic said hotly, smacking a hand against his chest. “You think I’m fine with hurting you? Hurting you hurts me. It fuckingburns, Shadow. But you know what’s worse? You thinking I want Max. How could you think that? Howcouldyou?”
“How can I not? It’s always been the two of you, and me on the outskirts. In the shadows. Don’t forget, that’s where that even started.”
“It might be where it started, but it’s not where it’s ending. This isn’t where it’s ending.” He grabbed my chin, and I let him, knowing this was the last time. Whatever had existed between us, it was broken now. It didn’t matter what Dominic believed, I knew better. It couldn’t be repaired. “You’re the one I love, Shadow. What I share with him isnothingin comparison to what I share with you.”
“I want to believe you.”
“Then why can’t you?”
