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“We’re going to have a conversation.”

I scoff. “No, we’re not.”

“Listen, if you’re going to end things then we’re going to have a real conversation and I’m not leaving here until that happens.”

“You can’t be serious,” I snap, glaring at him and he nods.

“I am.”

My jaw ticks as I stare at him and after a second, I nod and slam the door closed. “All right, Chance, you want to have a real goddamn conversation? Fine. Let’s start with why you pursued me?”

He blinks. “What?”

“Yeah. And then we can talk about how you manage to look me in the eye and lie so easily because it’s really something else.”

He takes a step toward me and I back up, shaking my head.

“What the hell are you talking about, Princess?”

I hold a finger up, fighting back tears again. Fuck this day. “Oh, no. You don’t get to call me that anymore.”

“Will you please explain to me what’s going on? Why did you leave the night of the party?” he asks, running a hand through his hair.

“Seriously?” I ask, my eyes burning and my heart aching. “You’re going to act like you don’t know?”

“I don’t know,” he insists and I’m pretty sure I hate him. “I keep thinking I need to be patient and eventually you’ll come around but each time I think we’re getting close, you shut down again! Why? Why can’t you just give this thing between us a goddamn shot?”

Is this part of his game? Does he get off on seeing the pain he inflicted on me? My anger bubbles over and I can’t hold back anymore.

“Why is exactly right, Chance. You want answers? Well, so do I! I want to know why you kept coming around and why you pushed me to open up to you and reveal parts of myself I never showed to anyone but most of all, I want to know why you had to go and make me fall in love with you.”

The apartment falls silent, but I can hear my words echoing in my head and I realize my mistake a moment too late. I suck in a breath and my eyes widen as he steps toward me, his gaze filling with hope.

“You love me?” he asks, his voice soft, a hint of a smile teasing his lips, and I shake my head.

“No.”

He takes another step and my back hits the wall as I try to retreat, blocking my escape.

Fuck.

“Then, why did you say it?” His eyes are burning with determination now and it spells out disaster for me. I thought I knew this man, thought I understood him, but nothing that’s happened since Friday night makes any sense to me.

“I don’t know.”

He stops in front of me, his arms caging me in. “Yes, you do. You love me.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I whisper as tears spill down my cheeks and he jerks back like I slapped him as he stares at me. Pain fills his eyes and I hate the way it makes my heart squeeze in my chest.

“Of course, it matters,” he spits out, leaning into me, cupping my cheek in his palm. I grab his hand, pulling it away from my face as I look away. Pain radiates from my chest, stealing my breath, and it feels like it just might kill me this time. “Look at me, Carly.”

I shake my head and he pulls his hand out of my grip before forcing my gaze back to his. The hurt I’ve been feeling since Friday night shines in his eyes.

“It matters.”

“It can’t,” I croak and he growls, pulling away from me. He runs a hand through his hair again before turning back to me.

“Why?” he grits out through clenched teeth and I place my hand over my chest like I can somehow stamp out this piercing pain he’s inflicting on me. Why is he doing this? Why can’t he just go home to his wife and forget about me?