Page 71 of Lush

“You didn’t deserve that. No one does.”

I expected him to push me away. But instead, his grip tightened slightly, just enough for me to feel it.

“You don’t have to do this, Laurene,” he said, his tone quieter now. “Pretend you care.”

“I care,” I said, meaning it. “I always have.”

He stared into my eyes, and I wondered if he could read the truth—that I’d never stopped loving him.

The music changed to a slower beat, and we automatically drew closer. I rested my hand on his shoulder, my head on his chest.

“Just focus on me.” I tightened my hold on Reese, hoping that my presence could offer some solace and my what? Love?

Stay focused, Laurene.

I was here for one purpose only—get my money, then leave. Love had no place in my carefully constructed plans. Love didn’t exist between us anymore.

But for once, I wasn’t stressing about the inheritance, blackmail, or what came next. I was thinking about Reese—his pain, his resilience, the fire that had always drawn me to him. Maybe it was selfish, but seeing his pain, I felt the urge to be the one to soothe the storm raging inside him. To show him he wasn’t alone.

And maybe, just maybe, I wanted to let him back into the parts of me I’d tried so hard to lock away.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, Laurene?”

“Nothing,” I lied, a reflex I hated but couldn’t seem to shake. “Just thinking about everything that’s happened tonight.”

His lips twitched in something that wasn’t quite a smile. “You’re a terrible liar.”

Be honest.

“I always wanted this,” I admitted softly. “To be able to stand beside you, to hold your hand without fear, to be public about us. But I couldn’t, not with my family.”

Reese didn’t speak.

“It was horrible pretending,” I continued, not sure why I was telling him this. “Each time I saw you at a party or an event, my heart would race, and all I wanted was to run to you, kiss you, be with you. Instead, I had to pretend you didn’t exist. It was easier to pretend than face judgment.”

To them, I’m a King—a legacy, a prize. To him, I was just Laurene. And maybe that’s why I fell.

“You chose yourself, your family,” he said, and there was no anger in his tone—just a resigned acceptance that hurt more than any accusation ever could.

“I chose wrong,” I whispered, the confession tasting bitter on my tongue.

Reese was silent for a moment. The music changed again, something softer.

“You always were good at picking the practical option,” he said, his voice low. “Even when it broke your own heart.”

We figured it’d be easy: Reese would threaten to expose all the ideas Conrad had taken from him to the board, Conrad would back out, and we’d all be free. But Conrad didn’t just back out. He turned on us.

I should’ve been in charge, making sure everything worked for us. Instead, I watched it all crumble.

I took a deep breath. “I didn’t think about the damage it would cause. I wasn’t thinking about the fallout for you or our relationship. I never thought it would break you. And I didn’t care enough to stop it.”

Could we go back?

He stared, eyes dark and inscrutable. “You don’t get it, Laurene. I didn’t just miss you. I missed the parts of myself I lost when you left.”

I forced myself to breathe. His words twisted something in my chest. I hadn’t let myself think about him, not like this, not about how he’d been after I left. Why did I think he’d moved on? That he’d been fine without me?

“I didn’t…I didn’t really cope at first,” I said, my voice low, unsure of how much I should admit. “At first, I just existed. I wasn’tliving—I was just going through the motions. And for months, I didn’t do a damn thing. I didn’t even know how to start again, so I just froze. I thought if I didn’t move, if I didn’t feel anything, it would be easier.”

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