Page 56 of The Love Wager

He shakes his head, grabbing the door handle and swinging the door open. And what stands behind it is the very reason for the tight warning that had blared in my stomach earlier. The very reason my body warned me to keep my mouth shut. Taylor and Indie are wide-eyed, tears staining Indie’s cheeks as our eyes meet.

“A means to an end?” she repeats, and my heart hammers so loudly that I think it might leap from my chest and fall at her feet to beg forgiveness.

Nick looks between Taylor and me before making off down the hall.

He knows what he just caused but also knows I deserve everything coming for me. I made this bed. Now I need to lie in it.

Taylor looks at me with disgust as Indie bolts for the front door. “I would’ve given you anything you asked for. You’reSpencer’s oldest friend, Brooks. But this…” She looks toward where her friend made her hasty exit. “This is fucked-up. She didn’t deserve this. Even if she was a part of it with you, you had to know she was falling for you. You can’t be that fucking daft.”

I look down at my boots, feeling small under her scrutiny. “I’m sorry, Taylor.”

“It’s not me you owe an apology to.” She turns and heads down the hall, leaving me ashamed and regretful.

I hadn’t meant to say what I did, or had I?

Did I subconsciously know she was out there and that it was what she’d need to leave? Or was severing the connection with her what I needed to survive her leaving?

“Fuck!” I punch the wall across from me, thankful when my hand doesn’t go through the drywall.

Turning and heading for the door, I speed after Indie. She came with me, so it’s not surprising when I find her sitting on my tailgate, sobbing into her hands. Each tear stabs through my heart like a small needle, bleeding me dry slowly.

“Indie, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you were out there, but it’s not an excuse for what I said.”

She sniffles. “It’s fine. I knew what this was when it began. Fuck, I set the terms.”

Her eyes flick up to the stars above, and I revel in their shine against the curvature of her sad green eyes.

“I shouldn’t have said it. You were more than a means to an end. You know that. It’s just I had to make him believe… I had to makemebelieve…” I shake my head, biting my tongue as I try to find the right words to not fuck this up.

“Well, I think it’s safe to say we won’t have to worry about splitting the money.” She laughs, and there’s ire in her tone.

“I’m so sorry.” I fucked this up for both of us.

Had I checked my phone at any point today, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. I was too caught up in her, though.

I spent every last moment with her that I could. Proving how much she’s become to me; how much she means. None of it matters now. I have to let her go. She’s leaving. Going back to the same life she left because we fucked this shit up so bad.

“It’s fine. We always knew it was a possibility that it would end this way. It was fun while it lasted, yeah?”

All of me hates how well she’s taking this. I want her to scream at me. To berate me. I want her to tell me how badly I fucked up and how much she hates me.

Her accepting everything that happened makes it more complicated. Makes it worse.

“Take me back to the hotel?” she asks as she hops off the tailgate and turns to shut it.

Walking up behind her, I press into her back. Sliding my hand around her waist, I grip it firmly, holding her in place.

She gasps, her body pressing back into mine on instinct.

This is what I’ve become addicted to: How she melts into me and fits perfectly.

“I had to say it. I had to make it easier on me,” I admit. The admission’s easier with her back turned.

“Make what easier?” she whispers.

Leaning down, I skim my lips over her ear. I close my eyes. “Losing you.”

“But the money,” she breathes.

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