Page 88 of Tame Me

Liar. She’s holding back from me. And suddenly I’m furious with her. I want to find out more. Disappointment merges with challenge. I want the entire truth from her. And that’s when I accept I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get it.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Talia

ICAN’THOLDhis gaze. He’s missed so much and I feel terrible. I should have pushed harder. Showing him the photos was a peace offering, the smallest of ways in which I could try to make amends. But I don’t tell him about Lukas’s delivery even though I should. I don’t want him getting angry with me for going through that alone and I suspect he will. For a moment here on the plane things were good between us—we even laughed. Now there’s a flash of that bleakness in his gaze as I pass off the question, but he says nothing. He holds my phone back out to me.

‘Now you have my number,’ he says dryly. ‘No excuse not to stay in touch.’

As I take my phone the plane shudders. I stiffen. Before I can breathe his hand is on mine.

‘It’s just a few bumps. Give it a moment.’

Sure enough the plane settles as we zoom through the clouds but my pulse races on regardless. He hasn’t released my hand and I haven’t tried to pull away.

‘What is it with you needing a comforting touch in life-threatening situations?’ he teases.

‘I think that’s a pretty normal human response.’ I bluff but it’s nice to see his smile again. ‘And you’re the one who grabbedmyhand.’

He chuckles. ‘You’re a good liar.’

I shoot him a startled look.

‘You lied to Ava very easily about us,’ he elaborates.

I press my lips together. ‘Only because I didn’t want her to worry at all. Not ever.’

‘I guessed that was why.’ He sighs. ‘But it makes me wonder who you do ever open up to.’

I shoot him another startled look and pull my hand free of his. He doesn’t try to stop me.

His low bitter laugh mocks me. ‘Yeah, no one. I figured that.’

I’m irritated because I’m certainhedoesn’t open up to anyone either. ‘And your point?’

He straightens in his seat and leans closer. ‘I don’t want you to lie to me. Not ever.’

He echoes my words. I swallow because while it could be considered a threat it’s more of a warm invitation and it’s utterly disarming.

‘I’d like you to promise me that you won’t,’ he adds steadily. ‘And don’t hold back on all the truth either.’

Yeah, he knows I omit things. Because I just have and of course he knows it. But it’s for good reason—or so I’ve always thought.

‘I think you owe me that,’ he finishes.

I realise the photos weren’t enough. Nor was the apology. He needs the whole truth. He’s done all the right things since finding out about Lukas. He’s tried to give me time, space, he’s taken me to see Ava and offered unquestioning support. I haven’t. I need to be honest with him.

Not making more of an effort to tell him about Lukas was terrible. It’s as though a fog has lifted from my mind. For me to hold his lifestyle against him—to be sojudgemental—was wrong. I need to course correct. Now.

‘You know that night at the gondola was out of character for me.’ My throat clogs because this is personal and it’s hard to say.

His eyes widen and he slowly nods. ‘Yet you assume it wasn’t out of character for me also?’ His focus is even more intense now. ‘What do you think you know about me?’

I bite my lip, embarrassed because I’ve been emotional. He wants to be there for Lukas. He wants to make everything work between us. He’s trying. So I need to try too. I need to be honest even if it means more anger from him.

‘I found a photo of you with another woman taken later on the night we were together.’ The thought of it still turns my stomach. Was she his girlfriend? I hate to think I was the other woman in a cheating situation.

He sits up straight. ‘You what?’

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