Page 244 of Pretty Little Lies

“That wasMatteo.”

“Alright,” I reply simply. “I believe you.”

Her eyes widen a bit. “You do?”

“I do.” My palm finds her hip, and I begin kneading the flesh there. “Tell me to take this back because you’re killing me right now. I love you…sofucking much that it kills me to stand here and have this conversation with you right now.”

She stares at me, her eyes glossed over in sadness, but I already know what she’s going to say.

I can fuckingfeelit.

I just need her to do it so I can be done.

To break my heart and allow me to go down the dark rabbit hole where I won’t have to think about her anymore.

Those crystal-clear blues penetrate into my soul, something I thought was dead long ago, but she came around. Her and her pain the ass attitude that I tumbled down. I wanted to be out. I wanted to be within her view.

But now, it hurts.

It hurts so fucking bad that it’s difficult to breathe.

“Tell me you love me,” I mutter desperately. “Even if it’s a lie. I just need to hear it one time.”

“Reeve, sto?—”

“Doit, McQueen. Fucking lie to me.”

She attempts to avert her eyes, but I clutch onto her jaw and force her to face me when she straight shatters me into pieces. So I can remember how easily she did it. That I meant shit all to her.

“I’d never lie to you,” she says softly. “Never you, Reevie.”

That nickname stabs me in the chest. I haven’t heard it since Baby Wildes fucking went rogue and fucked it up for everyone.

For me.

He knew how I felt about her and didn’t give a shit how it would, not only affect her, but myself as well.

Always the selfish prick, the entitled little asshole who didn’t know how to think before he acted. Even if he burned the wholeworld down around him, he wouldn’t think twice about it unless he had to grab something from the fridge, but it’d be in ashes by then.

“Don’t sign it,” I implore her one more time. “Please, Bay…I can promise you that I’ll always put you first. I will always?—”

“I’m marrying Ramsey,” she clips out, peeling away from my touch and sealing our fate.

It was always a means to an end.

That’s what she always said, right? I just didn’t want to listen. I didn’t want her to leave me. I believed that maybe I was enough.

Bay turns and I don’t watch her.

I can’t.

It’s our final night together and the way she just dismissed everything we had is heart-wrenching to say the least.

My brain scrambles for serenity, but anger slowly seeps inside and clamors on to all else. Especially when the folder is placed against my chest and seals everything moments later.

All I wanted.

Her.

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