Page 106 of Stepping Into Tomorrow

“Ana—”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s a fucking hickey.”

“It’s from you.”

He leaned in, anger lighting his veins. He’d suspected for so long but never had proof until now. “Don’t fucking lie to me. I think I’d know if I marked you.”

She sighed and downed another shot. “Don’t do this. Don’t be the jealous asshole looking for ways to get mad at me. If you don’t trust me, then maybe we shouldn’t be getting married.”

He gripped her arm, just firmly enough to make her look at him. He’d never hurt her. “I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “You don’t even know me.”

The liquor seemed to loosen her lips. It was rare she got this open with him. “What do you mean? Tell me. I want to know it all. I’ve begged you for years to show me every piece of you.”

She scoffed. “You want this big house with five kids and the perfect family. You want monogamy and marriage.”

He nodded. What was so wrong with that?

“I don’t want that. I can’t be with someone like you.”

Her words hit him like a sledgehammer. “There’s someone else?”

“Sometimes I need something . . . more,” she admitted.

“And I’m not enough for you.”

“You’re a good man—too good, Nash. Someone like you doesn’t belong with someone like me.”

“What the fuck does that even mean?” he snarled, drawing the looks of the bartender and a few others around them.

Tears tracked down her face. She shook her head. “Nothing. Forget I said anything. It’s just the liquor talking. I’m sure we can get through this. I can do this,” she said as if trying to convince herself.

“Get through cheating on me?”

“You said you loved me.” Tears welled in her eyes.

“And you said I wasn’t enough.”

Ana grabbed her purse and ran out of the bar. Nash turned back to his beer, his mind reeling as her words settled into his gut like lead.

This was the part in their arguments where he’d usually run after her. But not this time. This time, his heart was breaking into a million pieces. He was tired of her games. There was no fixing this. Because he hadn’t been enough for his last two girlfriends and he wasn’t for Ana. Maybe it was time he gave up.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. A text from Ana.

Ana: I’m sorry.

Ana: Please don’t hate me.

Ana: You said you loved me. If you do, then you’ll forgive me.

Ana: Meet me somewhere we can talk. Please?

Nash swiped to reply.

Nash: No. Nova’s picking me up in a few minutes to go to the airport. I can’t bail on her. She planned this conference trip months ago. I’ll be back next weekend. Seems we both have some things to think about until then.

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