Page 98 of A Game Of Love

“Still,” she scoffs. “This is... this is... ugh!” She, honest to God, stomps her feet and lets out a frustrated noise before spinning around on her heel and storming off.

“Well, that was... something.” Toby blows out a breath, running a hand through his hair. He looks down at me, brows pinched. “Are you okay?”

“Am I okay?” I ask, looking up at him with wide eyes. “Hell yeah, I’m okay. I’m so damn turned on right now it’s not even funny.”

He grins something feral. “Oh really?” His voice drops as he pulls me closer. “I can help with that.”

“Not here,” I breathe out, arousal spiking.

“Wanna get out of here?” he asks.

I nod. “Thank you,” I whisper.

“For what?” He leans over and presses a kiss to my nose. My heart about to burst.

“For not denying what we are.”

“Lilly,” he murmurs. “It’s one thing to not outright tell people, but if something like that happens, and someone finds us together, I won’t lie. I won’t try to make it anything other than what it really is. I won’t disrespect you like that, disrespect us.”

“I fucking love you, Tobias Munro,” I say, voice choked up as I grip his face and kiss him hard.

I say my goodbyes to Ari, Bee, and Lizzy before heading out to the front to wait for the guys as they finish up saying goodbye. Leaning against the pillar, I take in the stunning sunset.

“How could you?” an angry voice causes me to jump. Spinning around, I find a very pissed-off Bella.

“Sorry, what?”

She steps closer. “How could you do this to my cousin? He’s not enough, so you’ve got to go fuck your brother, too?” she spits in disgust.

Breathing in, I try to steady my heart as my stomach drops. Just because I don’t care about what people think of me in the long run doesn’t mean the words don't hurt in the moment.

“You have it all wrong.”

She scoffs. “Really? You’re going to try and tell me you’re not a slut for fucking two guys.”

“It’s not like that. I love them both.”

“You love to fuck them both,” she spits. “I know a whore when I see one.” She looks me up and down like I’m the dirt on her shoes. “You couldn’t have left him alone, could you? Your own brother. God, you're sick. I’m going to tell Bishop’s family. They’re going to shun you like they should have from the beginning.”

And that was a blow to the gut, for sure. I try to hold back the tears at her cruel words, but they fall free.

“That's enough!” Bishop’s booming voice has Bella spinning around. “Don’t you fucking talk to her like that.” He’s pissed. No, he’s fucking seething.

Toby steps out of the house, looking like he heard every word, too. He wastes no time coming to my side and wrapping me in his arms. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying not to cry. Because if I cry and let him see that her words hurt me more than I’d like, then he’s going to worry. And this is exactly what made himhesitant about allowing something to form between us in the first place.

Toby guides me to the car while Bishop yells at Bella in Italian.

He opens the door, and I get in. “Are you okay?” Toby asks, grabbing my seatbelt and buckling it up for me.

“I’m perfect.” I smile up at him, but I’m not convincing when my eyes are blurry with tears.

He lets out this low growl before gripping my chin and kissing me hard. “She’s wrong, Lilly. So fucking wrong.”

“I know,” I whisper. And I do. None of her cruel words ring true, but it doesn’t mean they don’t hurt.

He closes the door and heads over to Bishop and Bella.

Bella was yelling back at Bishop, but as soon as Toby gets in her face, she takes a step back.

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