Page 141 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I
Her eyebrows are ruffled, and the corners of her mouth are turned down in a sympathetic frown. “Did Hercules Valentine hurt you?”
The mention of his name makes me break out into inconsolable crying. I’ve never wept this hard in my life, not even at my grandfather’s funeral. And the thing is, I can’t focus on one reason why my heart feels so devastated. Maybe it’s because of what has to come to next. My relationship with my brother can’t go on as it previously did.
“Lake?”
I lift my head and turn to her.
She uses a washcloth to wipe tears from my cheeks. “You can tell me anything, Lark. Please say something.”
Her pleading expression speaks to how much she cares about me. I messed so badly, letting someone else steer my wheels. I will never take another order from Max, ever.
I close my eyes so I won’t see how much the truth will disappoint her. “It’s Paisley.”
“Paisley?”
I open my eyes to gauge her reaction.
“My name.” I release a shuddering breath. “My name is Paisley Grove.”
Lake’s head tilts to the left, as if she’s trying to process what I just revealed.
“My brother made me take a job at VTI to…”That look on her face.Oh no.I’ve lost her.
Lake rises out of her squat to tower over me. Her nightshirt is soaking wet. She’s taken such good care of me. At least now I have enough strength to thank her and slog back to my apartment.
“You mean, you took a job at VTI using a fake name?”
Lips pressed, I nod. But not using my voice to answer seems so disrespectful in light of what I just revealed to her, so I say, “Yes.”
Lake stands with her hands on her hips, and her shoulders collapse like strength has been zapped from her. “Damn, Lark. I mean, Paisley.”
She looks away from me to shake her head. I bet she’s thinking about Mason and how I’ve conned him too.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper as my tears roll again. “I hated doing it.”
“But you were my friend, and I like you.”
I can feel the desperation in my eyes. “I like you too.”
I wish she would stop shaking her head.
“I’m sorry,” I chirp.
Lake gazes off, unfocused. “I just don’t know what to say.” She’s looking at me again. “And you told Hercules?”
A tidal wave of tears flows from my eyes when I close them. “He found out somehow. I wanted to tell him for a while, but I was afraid to. I didn’t want to…” I shake as I cry.
To my utter joy, Lake wraps her arms around my wet shoulders. “I know… You didn’t want to lose him.”
I shake my head as I cry harder, and I’m barely able to squeeze words out of my tight throat. “But I lost him anyway.”I’ve lost him, and that’s why I feel so empty inside.
“Hey, is everything okay?” Mason calls from the hallway.
My eyes expand beyond their limit.
“He was asleep,” Lake whispers then turns to look over her shoulder. “We’re fine.”
“Who’s ‘we’re’?”
