Page 87 of Ink & Stardust

“Which is what exactly?”

“This.” I gesture between us. “How much longer is this going to go on before you tire of me?”

“Tire of you?” His forehead furrows. “Have I given you reason to believe that I have?”

Not that he won’t ever, but has he given me reason to believe that he hasyet? I don’t miss the purposeful way he leaves off that one word...Yet.

“No, but we both know you will eventually.”

I let fear and uncertainty take the reins, and while every pore in my body is screaming for me to stop, to not create issues where there are none, I can’t put the cap back on, not when the contents are spewing from the bottle at an alarming rate.

“Doweknow that?” The flash of hurt I see in his eyes gives me pause.

“Don’t we?” My words soften.

“Why are youreallybringing this up now?” He circles back around.

“I told you. Claire—”

“That’s bullshit and we both know it. Lying is not one of your strong suits, Lyric. So why don’t you do me a favor and just give it to me straight. What are younottelling me?” He leans forward, elbows pressed to the table.

“Nothing.”

“Lie.” He throws the word at me like a slap that stings my cheeks, drawing heat to the surface.

“You said you couldn’t... From the very beginning,” I start.

“I said I couldn’t what?”

“Give me what I wanted.”

“And what is it that you want, Converse?”

“You.” The word is like a whisper into the wind, getting lost somewhere on the way out of my lips, and yet somehow, he still catches it.

“You have me.” The vulnerability in which he says those words steals my breath.

Maybe I really have gotten this all wrong.

Maybe I let the jealousy and anger of someone I barely know dictate my actions... And my feelings.

Maybe I’m giving her exactly what she wants.

“Do I?” I finally ask, a shake to my voice.

“I’m right here, aren’t I?”

“But do Ireallyhave you?”

“I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking me. Just say what you mean.”

“I don’t think you want me to say what I mean. Because I think as soon as I do, you’re going to wish I hadn’t.”

“How about you stop presuming you know how I’ll react to something you haven’t even said yet.”

“I’m in love with you!” I blurt with so much force that the words trail far past our table, but I’m too busy focusing on Kai to look around to see who else might have heard. “Is that what you want to hear?” I hurry on, afraid if I stop, I might lose my nerve to finish. “I’m in love with you. Even though you warned me you’d hurt me. Even though you told me you couldn’t give me more. I ignored it all and fell for you anyway. So, when I say that I wantyou, I don’t mean in the capacity that I have you now. I mean that I wantallof you.”

“Lyric, I...” He stares back at me, indecision the most prominent emotion on his face, or maybe it’s shock, given that every ounce of color has drained from his face.

---