Page 167 of I Was Always Yours (RCA: Royal Crown Academy)

“Do you believe I love you?” I ask.

She shakes her head brokenly. Tears squeeze out from under her closed eyelids and fall down her cheeks as her small fists pound my chest, trying to force me release her.

“Do you believe I love you, Six?” I repeat. My voice sounds unhinged to my ears. I lick up the tears soaking her cheeks, the salt of her pain stabbing my every taste bud.

“No.” She drops her forehead against my chest as the fight leaves her and her body gives in. “Not enough.”

I hold her head against my chest, my hand palming the back of her warm neck. The brokenhearted sobs that fall from her lips and mix with her ragged breaths tear through me.

I’m nauseous at the thought that I’ve caused this devastation. I press my lips down on the top of her head and keep them there as I take rough, faltering breaths.

I move my hands to the sides of her face and force her head back to look at me. Her eyes are red-rimmed and the deepest, brightest color of green I’ve seen yet.

“More than you could ever imagine,” I correct her.

Later, I’ll relive these moments and savor the weight that lifts off my chest when I finally tell her how I feel. For years my secret has been just below the surface, barely contained, like it might just tumble from my lips if she smiled at me one day.

Saying it openly feels freeing.

I kiss her but don’t linger. Clasping her lower lip between mine, I pull it gently as I let her go. I release it with an unhappy groan and take a step back.

“You’ve said your piece, can you please leave now?” She asks as I take in the flush on her skin.

She’s so sensitive to my touch, one kiss is all it takes to make her body react even as she’s kicking me out.

“I am, but only because I have a problem I need to take care of first,”

“Phoenix,”

“–but I’ll be back for you,” I finish. A better man would let her go, but that’s not the man she chose. “I’ll prove to you that I love you and I always have.”

“Don’t waste your time.”

“I’ve got forever to show you, and if that’s how long it’s going to take, then that’s exactly the amount of time I’m going to use to convince you.” I grab her face and kiss her one last time before opening the door and looking back. “I’ll be right back, wild girl.”

She wipes her sleeve over her mouth in a moment of temper that I’ll make her pay for later. “Stop kissing me, Phoenix.”

“You gave me your mouth. I’ll do what I want with it.” I say and then walk out, closing the door behind me.

I’m loath as fuck to leave her, but I have to clear a few hurdles off my path before I can even start to get her back.

I hear athumpand a door open, followed by Nera saying, “Oh, Six.”

I fight the protective instinct to march back in there and take care of her and walk down the hallway instead. I pull my phone out of my pocket and dial.

“Your plane is at the airport, right?” I ask. Mine turned back around for Korea immediately after dropping me off.

“Yes.” Rogue answers.

“I need it.”

“Then take it.” The line goes dead.

With one last look at Six’s front door, I turn on my heels and walk in the opposite direction.

Chapter 49

Callum

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