Page 76 of Between Earth and Eternity
“I wouldn’t have to if you’d just talked to me.”
He pinches the bridge of nose. I tend to have that effect on him, it seems.
“How do you even know that Vallen and I spoke?”
I blush. It’s not ideal admitting that I was spying on them. “I didn’t know it was you at first. I was just going for a walk in the biosphere, and then I heard you two arguing, so I hid. It didn’t seem like a conversation meant to be interrupted.”
“You heard everything?” He gulps, brows pinching together.
“I heard enough.” He stares at me for a moment. “Payson, what the hell are you doing with Vallen Mannox?”
“So, you didn’t hear everything then. Good.” He sighs.
“I heard him order you to stay away from me because it was a risk. But a risk of what?” I plead.
He shakes his head and turns his back.
“This isn’t fair. It’s one thing for Vallen to deny everything, but you . . .”
“Vallen knows about this?” He turns, voice raised in panic. Damn. Vallen’s threat really did its job.
“Yes,” I say calmly. “I confronted him about it.”
“And?” The last thing he needs to hear is that Vallen was jealous. Even if it is completely false, it would only upset Pace more.
“Nothing. He denied everything,” I lie.
Payson turns around and kicks the wall, causing me to jump back at the sudden outburst. “Shit,” he whispers under his breath.
“Payson, what is going on?” I move toward him and place a hand on his shoulder, turning him to face me. He does but keeps his head down. “Please,” I say again.
“I can’t.” He’s solemn now, the anger burnt out quickly.
“Pace. Please.” I place a hand on his cheek, lifting his head to meet my gaze. My pleading eyes beg him.
“I can’t tell you anything. Unless . . .”
“Unless?”
“Unless your feelings for me have changed.”
My brows furrow, confused.
“We could keep it a secret, and then I could tell you everything and Vallen would never need to know.”
I shake my head, completely baffled. I take a step back. “So let me make sure I understand this correctly. If I wanted to be with you as more than just friends, you wouldn’t keep any secrets from me.” He grimaces but nods. “And we’d have to keep our relationship hidden because you’re scared of Vallen?”
“I’m not scared of Vallen,” he bites back.
Istronglybeg to differ. Maybe not scared ofhim, but scared of what he could do. I am all too familiar with the feeling.
“Okay. Just add that to the long list of lies you are keeping.”
He glares at me, and it makes me feel queasy seeing this side of him.
“I’m sorry I can’t give you what you want, but to hell with what Vallen said,” I say. “I won’t tell a soul. I swear.”
He clenches his jaw. “You know my conditions.”
