Page 130 of The Revenge Plan (Forbidden Descendants 1)

God, she was pretty.

Longing sliced through my gut.

They were far enough away that I couldn’t hear what they said, but whatever he answered in reply had her laughing and dropping her fingers from his eyes so he could whirl around and kiss her.

And a fresh hit of pain followed the longing.

When Reuben glanced our way and caught me staring, he smirked at me and slid an arm around Avery’s shoulders, blatantly taunting me.

“See there,” Rush said. “That. He looked straight at you after kissing her, to make sure you were watching. It’s eating you up inside, and he knows it. That is why he’s keeping her around.”

“Shit.” He was right. I immediately turned away as the achy, breathless craving returned. My shoulders slumped as I admitted the truth. “I do still want her.”

“Which I will never understand,” Rush said, shaking his head beside me. “You’ve never even talked to her.”

“I know. That’s why I’m trying to stop it. This whole obsession is stupid as hell. It makes no sense. And it annoys the fuck out of me. Just when I think I can shake free of it, someone will say her name or…” I motioned toward her now. “I’ll see her, and it just… It flares right back up again, as strong as ever. Why the hell can’t I just stop it?”

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Rush patted my shoulder before gripping it. “Because you have too much hope in your heart, bud.”

“Well, I want it gone,” I growled and fisted my hands down at my sides. “I don’t want to dream of what-ifs anymore. I want… I just want to be hopeless.” I eyed Rush miserably. “I gotta up my game, don’t I? Hide it more tactfully from him.”

“If you could stop pining after her altogether, that’d be best. But yeah, you definitely gotta stop making it so obvious.” Then he tipped his chin, motioning. “She’s leaving, by the way, so you can stop looking everywhere but there, now.”

I immediately glanced over to catch sight of her strolling away with sunlight glinting off her golden mane as it swung merrily behind her. She looked so happy. Content.

Sympathy grew in me. “She doesn’t even know, does she?” I murmured. “She has no clue at all she’s with a cheater.”

“It’s hard to say, but yeah, probably not.”

“Someone should tell her.”

Rush rasped a laugh and splayed out his hand. “Be my guest.”

I immediately shook my head. “No. Not me. It can’t be me.”

“Why not?”

“Because if I were the one to tell her, everyone would say it was only because I wanted her for myself.”

“Well, isn’t it?”

“No,” I growled. Then I winced. “I mean, not completely. I’m also worried about her. She shouldn’t be left in the dark like that. I mean, if I were being cheated on, I would want to know.”

“Fine.” Rush stuffed his drumsticks in his back pocket. “I don’t want to sleep with her, so I’ll go tell her.” He sent me a glance. “What type do you think she is? The box of tissues, alcohol, ice cream and chocolate, or the bat-to-his-car sort?”

“Shit, you’re right.” I grabbed his shirt to keep him from going anywhere. “You can’t tell her either. She’s been with him for a year. This would destroy her.”

Rush shrugged as if he didn’t care. “Probably.”

I sighed. “Then maybe it’s best if she didn’t know. They can’t last forever. Maybe something else—something less painful—will split them up.”

And just like that, I was back to hoping again. My brain stirred to life with more what-ifs.

What if she and Reuben did split?

What if I could talk to her now?

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