Page 154 of Diamond Devil

“No,” I disagree, “it’s not the only way. But you’re too self-destructive to see anything else.”

“If it was a choice between Celine and me, what would you do?” I see that flash in her eyes, thatknowingshe thinks she possesses. She’s so sure there is only one path.

I take a step forward and she backs up immediately, terrified of getting too close to me. I hate that even more than the bullshit she keeps spouting.

“You,” I answer. It’s impossible to keep my own torment out of my voice, but maybe it’s time she fucking hears it. “I would choose you.”

“That’s a lie.”

“It’s not.” I shake my head, but I don’t look away. “That’s my truth. And I’m not scared to let Celine know it, either. Fuck, she probably already knows it. And you know what? She won’t hold it against me. Maybe you and Celine aren’t as close as you think you are.”

Her expression twists. “You don’t know anything about my relationship with my sister.”

“I know enough.”

“Right.” Taylor nods. “You already told me. She doesn’t trust me around her boyfriends, is that it? Is that what she told you?”

“No, that’s not it.” I know she’s not going to ask, so I tell her. “Your sisterlovesyou, Taylor. She thinks the world of you. Which is probably why she thinks you’re so much better than she is.” She furrows her brow as I continue. “She’s not scared that you’re going to steal away the men she wants; she’s scared that the men she wants will want you instead of her.”

Taylor’s eyes go wide. “That’s insane.”

“Is it?” I ask. “It’s happened to her twice now.”

“No, it hasn’t,” Taylor says firmly. “Becausethisisn’t happening now.”

“Fucking hell, Taylor, don’t you see?” I am literally baffled by how completely blind this woman is. Those beautiful eyes see nothing, even and especially when it’s all right in front of her. “Celine doesn’twanta man who’d rather be with you. She wouldn’t want to be with me if she knew how I feel about you.”

Taylor chews on her cheek. “We don’t know that.”

I momentarily wonder if I can bang my head against the Hummer hard enough for any of her so-called logic to make sense. “Do you want to be with me, knowing I wanted to marry your sister?”

She scoffs. “Absolutely not. I’ve been chanting that since Day One.”

I nod. “Right. So what makes her any different?” I see her hesitate, and a glimmer of hope is on our horizon—or at least it’s the dawn of herfinallyunderstanding. “How is shesodifferent from you that she wouldn’t feel the same way you do? How come you get to turn down a man who was going to be with someone else, but she can’t?”

I revel in the frustration that rolls across her face and balls her fingers into fists. My point has landed.

Fuckingfinally.

But then she takes a step toward me, her face flaring with determination. “Do you love me?”

This time, I’m the one who wants to take a step back from her. “Taylor…”

“Why can you say everything else but that?” she demands. “Why can you claim me, possess me, and work your ass off to keep me, but you won’t say that? Why can you demand that I say the words, but you’re too afraid to say them yourself?”

The words are literally caught in my throat. She doesn’t know how many times I’ve wanted to say those three damned words. Or how terrified I was when they first flared to life in the back of that damned car.

She doesn’t know.

Because I just…

Can’t.

Say.

Them.

Taylor nods with a sigh and smooths her hands over her sides. “I get it. I do. You think you love me and you don’t want to lose me. You equate love with possession, but that’s not how it works. Love is sacrifice.” Her eyes meet mine. “Love is letting go.”

---