Page 126 of Beautiful Collide

But no one believed me.

The truth didn’t matter because the lie was more interesting.

Eventually, I stopped fighting it.

If they would paint me as the villain, I figured I’d give them what they wanted. I played the role they’d written for me—the smirking, careless, bad boy with a revolving door of women.

But the truth is, it never felt right.

I wasn’t proud of it. It’s not who I am, and it never was.

But the more I let people believe it, the more I felt like I’d buried the real me so deep, he’d never come back.

Molly bites her lower lip, sparing me a glance. “And that’s not who you are?”

I shake my head, no longer staring at the stars. “No.”

She shifts slightly, resting her chin on her knees, turning to face me fully. Her voice softens. “Then why pretend?”

I sigh, deciding to answer her honestly. “Because no one cares to see past the facade.”

“That’s not true, Hudson.”

“So . . . you do?”

She doesn’t answer.

I let out a bitter laugh, the sound empty and sharp. “Exactly.”

The silence that follows stretches, and it’s not a comfortable one. She opens her mouth like she wants to say something—maybe defend herself, maybe argue—but she closes it just as quickly.

I lean back, staring at the night sky again, the stars a blur I can’t focus on. “You know, it’s easier that way.”

“For everyone else,” she points out.

“Maybe.” I close my eyes, letting the wind lap at my cheeks. “They get to keep their neat little story about me. No one has to bother looking for more. And eventually . . .” I pause, forcing out a humorless laugh. “You start wondering if they’re right. If maybe youarejust the bad guy they say you are.”

Molly’s quiet before she murmurs, “You’re not.”

The words are so soft I almost don’t hear them. I glance over at her. For the first time tonight, she’s finally looking at me.Reallylooking at me. Studying me.

Staring deep into my soul.

For a second, I think maybe she does see past it. Maybe she sees me.

And then, she looks away.

Of course, she does.

I shake my head, my voice low. “Doesn’t matter if I’m not. People love their lies.”

Molly doesn’t argue this time. She just stays quiet, watching the stars, and for some reason, that silence hurts more than if she’d disagreed.

“I’m so fucking sorry, Hudson.”

Her words catch me off guard.

I tear my eyes away from the stars, peering down at her. “For what?”

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