Page 62 of Bite Your Tongue

I scowl, stamping my foot down. “Well, if you’re going to be a dick about it, I’ll just leave!”

“Cut the shit, Brat,” he growls. “Follow me, or I promise you, I’ll make a scene, and you won’t like it.”

Grunting in annoyance, I follow him down the hallway until he finds an empty conference room. We walk inside, and he closes the door behind us, making a point to lock it.

Dropping his bag, he leans back against one of the tables.

“Go on,” he says, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Tell me what I did or didn’t do.”

His casual tone sends me into anger, and I grind my teeth.

“Well, let’s see, asshole. Ya watched a video of me having sex, not knowing I was being recorded, and then you hooked up with me and didn’t say a word about it.”

His face pales, and there’s no mistaking the panic in his eyes.

“I must have really impressed you in that video, huh? When did you see it anyway? Was it before or after that first time we had sex? I bet it was before, and then you wanted to have bragging rights to Rowan that you fucked the porn star too.”

His arms drop to his sides, and he takes a few steps toward me, prompting me to hold my hand out.

“No, do not touch me. Do not come near me,” I sneer through my teeth. “Go on. Answer the question. Did you see that video before or after the first time we hooked up?”

“Say—”

“Answer the fucking question!” I scream like an absolute maniac. All the feelings I’ve been pushing down and trying to avoid are bubbling up in full force now.

“Before,” he says quickly. “But I didn’t—”

“You stupid motherfucker,” I say, trying my best not to cry because he doesn’t deserve my tears. “Rowan was right, I guess.”

“I didn’t watch the whole video!” he calls to my back when I turn around to leave. “I didn’t even know it was you, and I only saw a few seconds of it before I looked away!”

Grabbing my arm, he tries to turn me to face him, but I yank it away.

“Do not touch me!” As I scream the words, I begin to break. Tears fill my eyes, blurring my vision, and a stabbing sensation in my chest makes it hard to breathe.

“Saylor, would you just listen?” He wraps his arms around my body, pulling me closer to him. “I just walked in at the wrong time, and Rowan was showing some of the team. I looked away when I realized what it was. And I had no idea it was you until the day after we had sex in my truck.” He squeezes me tighter. “You have to believe me, baby. I would never have let him leave that locker room in one piece that day if I had known he was showing a video of you, I fucking promise.”

The emotion in his voice is palpable, and my heart melts just the smallest bit before I force myself to harden back up at his touch.

“Why should I believe you?” I croak out desperately with his cheek to mine as he holds me captive. “Even if what you’re saying is true, you could have told me—so many times. And you didn’t.”

“I know,” he rasps. “I should have. But, Christ, Saylor, you have to understand that after wanting you for so fucking long, I was scared that if I told you the truth—if you knew that I knew about that video—you’d ghost me.”

“I don’t understand why you’d even care,” I whimper. “Why not just say it?”

“Because I’m fucking in love with you, Saylor.” His voice sounds defeated. “And I didn’t want to do anything to fuck up my chances of finally being with you.”

His arms slowly release me, but instead of letting me go, he turns me to face him. Putting a palm on my cheek, he gazes down at me. “I should have told you, and I’m sorry. I can’t take it back, but I promise to never ever test your trust again.” His eyes fill with tears, and he doesn’t even try to wipe them away. “If you give me one more chance, Saylor, you’ll never have to worryabout something like this happening. I swear on my life that I will never hurt you.”

I stare up at him in utter and complete shock. “You—you love me?”

“Yeah,” he whispers. “I fucking love you, Saylor. The question is, are you going to let me?”

My vision blurs, and I blink a few times, continuing to stare up into his eyes.

“You promise you didn’t just hook up with me because you had seen the video?” I whimper. “Or to one-up Rowan or something?”

The voice in my head repeats over and over that I’m not the type of girl men end up with, that I’m just someone they have fun with before they meetthe one.

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