Page 48 of Full Throttle 2

Brian placed the tip of his finger underneath her chin and lifted it. Her eyes were glassy. His chest tightened at the sight. He was awash with guilt for thinking Lila might still be involved with Carrington. “Just so we are clear, Iamalone. No other woman has been in this place or my bed since we reconnected, and it makes me ill to think of you with someone else.”

Her eyes snapped to his. Vigorously, Lila shook her head. “I’m not. I’m not seeing anyone else.”

Finally, Brian could exhale. “Good.” A small smile started to form on his face.

“But...” Lila took a deep breath. “We need to talk.”

His smile froze. “You do realize that ‘We need to talk’ are the most dreaded four words ever spoken to someone you’re dating.” Still, Brian took a seat on the sofa, pulling Lila down with him.

They sat quietly for a few moments before Lila spoke softly into the silence. “I need to tell you something, and it’s difficult.”

Brian inhaled deeply before responding. “You can tell me anything.”

Lila had been on the verge of tears from the moment she received Carrington’s text. Initially, it was because she was hot with rage, but now it was because of the fear of rejection. Deep inside, Lila knew she would have to tell Brian everything. Shecouldn’t keep her tears from falling as they spilled over onto her face.

Brian had no idea what Lila needed to tell him, but it didn’t matter. None of it did. He loved her. Brian gently used the back of his knuckle to wipe her tears. “Lila, I don’t know what’s going on, but whatever it is, I’m not going anywhere. We’ve fought too hard to get to this place.”

“You say that now.” She wanted so badly to believe him. “You have no idea what I’m about to say.”

He didn’t, and Brian hoped his words were true as he laced her fingers with his. “Try me.”

Lila finally looked him in the eyes and took a deep breath. “Last night, I received a text message from someone I used to date.”

Brian nodded. He figured as much, but Lila had reassured him that he had nothing to worry about. Now, he wasn’t so sure. Was her confession connected to what Randy had told him earlier? He would soon find out. In the meantime, Brian wouldn’t push or ask any questions. Instead, he would wait and allow Lila to speak at her own pace.

She dropped her head into the palms of her hands. “I’m so embarrassed.”

Brian caressed her back. “Baby, we’ve all done some shit we are not proud of. If it doesn’t affect us now. I don’t care.”

Slowly, she lifted her head and held his gaze. “That’s the problem. It might.”

Brian didn’t know what to say, so he remained silent.

“I was desperate, down on my luck and my last two hundred dollars. My modeling gigs had all but dried up, and I needed a job and a place to stay. One day, I was at a coffee bar on my laptop, searching for jobs, when Carrington Hughes walked over to my table. I’d never met him before, and he was charming and offered to buy me a cup of coffee.”

Brian didn’t want to hear any of this but remained calm, at least on the outside. He listened for her sake. He hated a man he had never met.

“That was the beginning of a year-long tumultuous relationship. He is one of many regrets on a long list of mistakes I’ve made.”

Brian squeezed her hand to reassure her. “If he’s in your past, you don’t have to tell me this.”

“I do because Carrington is no longer in my past.”

His body tensed. “So, you two have reconnected?”

Slowly, Lila nodded. “We have, but not in the way you think.”

“How do you know what I’m thinking?”

“The expression on your face. It’s giving away the whole ballgame.”

Brian hated to ask but had no choice. “Do you love him?” Time stood still, and everything seemed to depend on her answer.

Lila didn’t leave him in suspense. Her reply was quick. “No, I never loved him.”

Brian had never been more relieved.

Lila continued to explain. “Carrington was a way to get through a tough time. We had an arrangement, and for me, it wasn’t serious.” She released a sarcastic laugh. “It clearly wasn’t serious for him either. I found out he was married when his wife showed up at our apartment and went nuclear. We got into a huge physical fight.”

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