Page 25 of Devious Temptation
I spin on my heel, getting in his face. “Okay,Charlotte!” Even though my feelings about our college situation are the same, I would never have fucking cheated on him.
You came awfully damn close, though, didn’t you? And with his dad, no less.
“I willneverbe your mother, Rhys! I will never sit on thesidelines and demand you buy me all the nice, expensive things I want but never use. I will never spend my days wine-drunk, waiting for you to pay attention to me and then complain that it isn’t enough. I have dreams, okay? Things I want to do and see. Youknowthis! So is it reallythatbig of a surprise that I wanted to go to a different college?”
“No one is asking you to be my mom, Lucy. All I wanted was a little support!”
“And what about my support? What about whatIwant? Our future has always been about you. What aboutme?”
“You should have talked to me about it!”
“And you should have broken up with me before you fucked Allison, but here we are! You completely embarrassed me in front of all our friends. People said you two were all over each other.”
His lip curls. “Is that what you’re worried about, Lucy? Meembarrassingyou?”
“No, it’s just an unfortunate bonus to a shitty night I’ll never be able to forget.”
Okay, so not all of it was shitty. Fuck, I’m just as bad as he is. At least I didn’t do any physical shit when we were actually together, though.
“Yeah, a night you spent with my dad in his office. Dressed in slutty lingerie and his fucking shirt! Wanna tell me howthathappened?”
Blinking rapidly, I try to keep myself from stammering as I reply, “I-I was angry with you, so I cut up your jersey. I didn’t even know he was in there until I’d already done it. He offered me his shirt when?—”
“When he’d already watched you get undressed?” he questions, eyes scanning down my body for effect.
I rear back and glare at him. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“I’ve seen the way you look at him, Lucy. And the way he is with you… it’s fucking weird. And I am telling you right now that I wouldhateyou forever if something happened between you two.” Rhys pins me with a cold, hard glare, searching for any hint that he might be right in his accusation.
My hands clench into fists, fingernails digging into my palms. I want so badly to yell,“You got me! I fucked around with your dad!”Just to get back at him. To see the look on his face when he realizes I’m not lying.
But I’d never cheapen my experience with Lawson.
And at the end of the day, Rhys is his son—I don’t want to ruin their relationship.
“Fuck you, Rhys. Your dad was respectful. And I spent the night crying on the couch.” I shove him away and turn around as angry tears fill my eyes. Partly from lying to him and partly because this is everything I never wanted to happen.
This sucks.
This isn’t us.
As I dig the heels of my palms into my eyes, I don’t flinch when Rhys’ arms wrap around me from behind.
“I’m sorry, Lucy.” He pulls me close, resting his chin on my shoulder as we both shake with grief. Some might say we’re way too young to feel this much for our ruined relationship, but Rhys and I were friends long before we started dating.
We aren’t just losing each other as lovers. I don’t see how we can ever possibly be friends after this. And I’m just as much to blame for it as he is.
I turn, wrapping my arms around his waist as I rest my forehead against his chest. “This is for the best.” I huff a watery laugh. “I wish it were under different circumstances, but it’s better it happens now.”
Through sniffles, he hums in agreement. “Maybe we can try again one day.”
I say nothing, knowing that there is no way I’d ever be able to be with Rhys again in this lifetime. Not after what happened between Lawson and me.
“I think it’s best if we don’t see each other for the rest of the summer. I need… time… to process everything,” I state when all our tears dry.
Rhys lets me go. “I love you. You know that, right?”
I nod, and a sense of calm relief rushes through me as I reach up to brush his hair out of his eyes one last time. “I love you, too.”
