Page 14 of Runaway Girl
His brow furrowed. “No. Why?”
“Because your behaviour and mood swings are giving me whiplash. First, your arrogance was so potent. That shit was infectious—as proven by your little groupies cackling in that video. Now, you’re practically on your knees. For what? What happened to the pro football player who was a king amongst men?”
“I’m no king without my queen. And Ali, I want—”
I scoffed. “Yes, let’s start there. What do you want this time,Superstar? You already crushed my heart, now you want my liver too?”
Ethan’s hair was a mess, his anxious hands pulling on the strands while exhaustion slowly pulled me down further. I was running on fumes and didn’t have anything extra to spare for this crap.
“Look, Ethan. I acknowledge the apology, but it doesn’t change anything. I have a lot going on, and let me just say you’re the last thing on my priority list. Better yet, you’re not even on the list. Work and family are what’s important to me right now.”
Ethan’s head bobbled as sympathy painted his features. “Ali. Your dad.Fuck,I’m so sorry, love. I want to help. Tell me what I can do.”
“Leave me alone.”
Chapter 9
ALICIA
“Leave me alone.”
Tears gathered in my lash line as the monumental request took root. I meant them, and Ethan knew it. I didn’t know how he found out about my dad, but it didn’t matter.
Be strong, Alicia.
“That’s not something I can give you, love,” he said, voice soft, almost lost.
Minutes ticked by as his face gradually morphed into a resolute mask. “I’m not going anywhere. I lost sight of us for a second, but I’m going to make amends. And I’ll start by paying for your dad’s medical expenses.”
My eyes snapped with fire, that previous sadness completely evaporated, replaced with frustration.
He could hear me, but he wasn’t fucking processing a word.
I sliced a hand through the air. “And here he is, folks. I don’t want your guilt money, Ethan.”
“I’m only trying to—”
“When are you going to get it? Not everything can be solved with money, power or influence.”
“But… but you’ve been accepting my gifts,” he said, having the audacity to sound disappointed.
“Why would I waste completely good merchandise? Those donuts are delicious, the flowers are beautiful, and the lingerie is my favourite brand. I took those gifts because I fucking deserve them! That doesn’t mean we’re getting back together.”
Ethan was shaking. “Then I’ll buy you more shit. We can go public. No secrets this time. Anything you want, Ali. Whatever you want.”
A potent dejection slowly took hold. We were on two separate wavelengths that kept on missing the reconnect.
“That’s not what I want, Ethan. That’s never what I wanted. Your money, status, going public? None of that mattered to me.”
“Thentellme what you want.”
“There’s no point. ’Cause no matter what I say, you won’t actuallylisten.”I shook my head. “What’s that saying?When someone shows you who they are, believe them. Well, trust me,Mr Harris, I was watching—alongside the whole world—and I received your message loud and clear. No misinterpretation on my part. I believed you wholeheartedly.”
“That’s not who I am. Youknowme. Please, Alicia, you are one of the very few people who really knows me.”
“I thought I did… but as soon as I asked the hard questions, laid those commitments on you, you turned cruel. The attentive, gorgeous man I knew disappeared right before my eyes. Asif he never existed at all. Instead, he was body-snatched, his personality swapped out by a pubescent fuck boy that searched for validation from strangers. People who don’t give a fuck about him.”
Ethan’s head bowed low. If he lowered any further, his forehead would hit the floor. “The man you’ve been with for the past four years. The man you fell in love with. That’s therealme.”
