Page 43 of Hooves & HeartStrings

Hayes barks out a laugh. “You are probably one of the few guys who is willingly so open to admit they’re wrong.”

“What's the point of denying it? It’s not going to help get my girl back. Not going to help make me feel better. It’s also the truth. My past fucked with my head and now I’m paying for it. Why hide the fact that I’m obsessed with this girl? I want the whole world to know. But more than anything, I want her to know.”

“If anyone is going to wear her down and win her back, it’s you. You're a good guy, Lucius. One of the best I know. I know you're going to treat her well. I’m rooting for you, man.”

“Thanks.”

Once I’m done bandaging up my hand, I shoot Sawyer a call.

“What's up? Heard things went south fast,” she answers.

“Don’t want to talk about the details,” I growl.

“Then what do you want to do?”

“You're a girl. Help me. What kind of things would help win a girl back?”

“Well…..”

I’m not sure if I like the tone of her voice. I really hope I don’t end up regretting recruiting her on my Win Marley back plan. But at this point, I’ll take any help I can get, because what I’ve been doing doesn’t seem to be getting me anywhere.

twenty

The days since the track meet blur together, each one filled with tension and uncertainty whenever I see Luci. It’s maddening, this emotional whirlwind he’s forced me into. I’m furious with him for abandoning me, for leaving so easily when he knew I was his mate. Was the pain worth it to him instead of being with me? Because it wasn't like that for me. It was awful, it still is. Yet, in the quiet moments when I let my guard down, I almost understand where he’s coming from. Almost.

I can't believe I’m his mate. I’m assuming that the feeling isn't as strong because I’m human. The pull I have toward him, even when he's been a douche, has to be the mate thing. Right? The intense attraction, the way my heart races when he’s near. I need to ask someone who would know. Maybe Sawyer? Or one of the professors in the med program.

Even after calling him an asshole horse, he’s still not giving up. He’s definitely following me.

No, it’s more than that, it’s stalking. When I go to the library, he’s there. When I sit outside for lunch, he’s there too.

Every morning, a coffee appears at my door, courtesy of Luci using the Joe app. He leaves notes on my desk in the class we share. He even has meals sent to my dorm.

Last night, when I was studying late in the library with Sawyer, he delivered energy drinks and snacks. I’m sure Sawyer told him she was studying with me, which I’m not upset about, but he used that information to his benefit. His friends drop off these things and vanish.

I’ve had enough. My frustration boils over, and I storm to his room, banging on the door with a force that matches my anger.

When he opens it, I let loose. “What the hell is all this, Lucius? The coffee, the notes, the dinner, the following. Yeah, the following. What is the matter with you?”

Lucius doesn’t say a word. Instead, he grabs me and kisses me, hard and desperate. It’s like a dam breaking, all the emotions I’ve been holding back flooding through me.

“You’re my mate,” he says, his voice filled with emotion. “I made you mad. I’m sorry. I’m a fucking idiot, but you… I did it for you, because of you. Everything comes back to you. I just want you, and I’m done with things being like this between us. I want it to go back to summer before I was a fucking moron.”

He kisses me again, and this time, I respond, kissing him back with fervor. I’m done being mad. I rip off his clothes in a wave of passion, driven by a need that’s been building inside me for too long.

I love him. I want him.

I’m done warring with myself about whether it’s right or if I should. It’s exhausting staying this mad, and ever since we got together, he’s been a part of me in a way I can’t ignore.

We stumble into his room, the door slamming shut behind us. One by one, pieces of clothing are discarded haphazardly, our hands frantic and needy. His touch is electric, sending shivers down my spine, and I respond with an urgency that matches his. We fall onto the bed, a tangle of limbs and heated kisses. His skin and coat are warm beneath my fingers, and the feeling of him grounds me.

“I’ve missed you,” he murmurs against my skin, his breath hot and ragged. “Every minute of each day, I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too,” I admit, my voice barely a whisper. It’s a confession that lifts a weight off my chest, the truth setting me free. “But you hurt me, Luci. You left, and it hurt so much.”

“I know,” he says, his eyes filled with regret. “I was scared. But I was wrong. I see that now.”

His words soothe my wounded heart, but they don’t erase the pain completely. “You should have talked to me,” I say, my voice trembling. “We could have figured it out together.”

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