Page 89 of Beautiful Enemy

Tonight was supposed to be my crowning achievement. A victory lap.

Now, it’s tainted.

He shifts my hips so he can lift the hem, work it up my body and over my head.

Another inspection begins, more thorough than the one he did at the club.

“So that was Mischa,” I guess, mostly to make sure I can still speak.

Harrison’s attention lingers on my side as he nods. I didn’t think I could take his touch, but being here, safe in his home, every stroke of his hands helps to steady my breathing.

“No offense, but I hope he’s not the only friend you kept from school.”

Harrison huffs out a breath at my attempt at humor.

He takes my hand with the ice and lowers it, brushing his thumb over my half-stinging, half-numb cheek. “Did he speak to you?”

A memory scratches at my brain. “He said you gave something up for me. What did he mean?”

Harrison doesn’t answer. But when he lifts his clear, blue gaze, the anger’s gone. “I never should have brought you here, Raegan.”

He’s inches away, but it feels like he’s putting more distance between us with every breath.

The sudden ache in my chest eclipses the pain in my face.

Moments ago, I wanted to erase tonight. But he wants to erase the past month.

All of my time in Ibiza, my time with him.

His jacket in the pool. Our kiss at La Mer. My birthday on the yacht.

The tragedy of that hits me harder than anything else.

I don’t want to forget.

That thought has me straightening, lends me the strength I’ve been seeking for the last hour.

“You’re an asshole.”

The words land between us, raw and loaded.

“I know.”

He means because of what happened tonight.

“You think you decide everything? That you have all the answers?”

I shove him, hard enough he falls back on his elbows.

“You don’t get to decide what this month meant. You don’t sure as hell don’t get to take this away from me.”

I shove myself off the bed, ice burning my hand, and head for the door.

He beats me there, filling the doorway. “Take what away?”

I don’t want to talk, and I can’t stand the distance he’s putting between us as he tries to reason out what happened tonight.

There’s no reason to be found in violence.

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