Page 138 of Vicious Addictions

“You can lie to anyone you want, Jude, but not to me. It’s written all over your face that there is history between the two of you.”

History. That’s all she and I have now.

Mina Crane stole my heart and has made it crystal clear that she refuses to return it. And no matter how much I beg or plead, the stubborn thing seems to prefer resting in her delicate hands rather than mine.

“Fair enough,” Gio finally concedes when I keep my lips sealed shut, preferring to stare at the man lying in bed with tubes coming out of him rather than answering my adoptive father’s probing questions. “If you don’t want to tell me yet, I’ll wait until you do. You can always come to me, Jude. With anything. Always. You know that, right?”

“There’s nothing to tell. Not anymore,” I let escape after hearing the earnestness in his voice.

“Ah, I see. So therewassomething between you?”

“Once,” I admit, the word tasting like bile on the tip of my tongue.

“But not anymore?” I shake my head. “May I ask why?” Gio asks, his curiosity officially piqued.

Because I chose wrong. Because I should have taken Victor’s offer when he gave it to me—my birthright be damned. If I had, the only woman I ever loved would have been my wife by now instead of being engaged to Felix.

“I can stay on guard for now. You don’t have to be here, Dad,” I respond, putting an end to this conversation.

Thankfully, Gio doesn’t probe further, sensing that I’ve already said all I’m willing to say on the subject, at least for the time being.

“Call me if you need anything,” he says, giving my shoulder a light squeeze. But just as he’s about to walk out the door, he turns around and says, “For what it’s worth, it didn’t look like whatever you two had is over. Take it from me, son. In most cases, all a woman needs is to see that we care enough to give a shit. Actions speak louder than words. Just some food for thought. Take it or leave it. But if I taught you right, you’ll take my advice.”

I don’t say anything in return because I know he’s wrong.

Nothing I can say or do will win Mina’s heart.

She hates me.

Any love she might have had for me once upon a time is long dead.

I pull up a chair and take a seat in front of the scumbag who dared to put his hands on Mina. A part of me didn’t even care about what critical information he had for us since every fiber in my being demanded that I blow his brains out right there and then in front of everycapofor daring to lay one finger on my Mina.

My Mina.

She was never really mine, was she?

She said it herself. I never claimed her.

Not really.

No. All I did was steal things from her.

Steal her first kiss.

Steal her virginity.

Steal whatever goodness and light she could offer me without giving her anything in return.

Yes, Mina holds my heart and soul in her hands, but she’ll never know it.

As far as she’s concerned, I’m the worst villain that ever crossed her path.

I hate Dimitri for hurting her, but I hate myself even more. Because though I would never dream of laying a hand on her, I still managed to cause damage.

Irreparable damage that I will never be able to atone for.

Nor do I deserve to.

---