Page 786 of Not Over You

“Furthermore,” I point my index finger in his direction, “you don’t have a damned clue about my thoughts and feelings. And tell me how you could possibly know about my gut-wrenching sorrow by perusing through my book for a short period of time? Huh, tell me. You could never be Ryder’s competition because he’s dead and you’re not.” When my glass slips through my fingertips and crashes to the floor, Zane is there in an instant to sweep me off my feet. With my face burrowed into his neck, he sits down on the sofa and cradles me in his arms.

“You’re right, Lili. There’s no way I could have interpreted all your emotions by randomly flipping through Private Messages for such a short period of time. This being the reason why I chose the word ‘fate’.” I can’t help letting out a frustrated sigh but that doesn’t stop him from continuing. “You can huff and puff to your heart’s content but I’m going to prove it to you once and for all. And when I do, you have to promise you won’t push me away.”

“Nothing you say or do is going to change my mind, so give it your best shot.” I dare to take a quick peek over to where the shattered glass lies in a glistening pool of stickiness. I really should be cleaning that up instead of wasting time playing another stupid game. “Have it your way. I promise, so tell me already.” I’m momentarily distracted when my phone rings, but I don’t want to be rude, so I ignore it.

“Answer it, Lili. I’ll wait.” I want to say ‘Hell no’ until I see his phone tucked in the palm of his hand. It’s flashing. I climb out of his lap, grab mine and swipe.

And wouldn’t ya know, fate stares right back at me.

CHAPTER 22

ZANE

I’m nervous as I watch her eyes move swiftly across the text, absorbing every single word. Not just once but over and over again. She’s shaking her head when her eyes land on mine. “Is this some kind of sick joke, Zane? This can’t be real.”

I have to fight down the urge to go to her. I know it must be a lot for her to take in by the wild look in her eyes. A tell-tale sign that she’ll fight it every step of the way. Whether she accepts it or not, it’s all there in black and white. There’s no denying that fate is in the room with us tonight.

“Why don’t you go ahead and respond to the text? I’ll wait.” I lean back, pretending I’m calm, cool and collected. When in all actuality, my heart is thrumming so hard I’m surprised she can’t see it palpitating through my shirt.

“Whatever game you’re playing this time around, Zane, I don’t want any part of it.” She shuts off her phone, places it on the counter and begins cleaning the mess from earlier.

This is going to be so much harder than I anticipated.

I patiently wait until she’s finished picking up the glass and scrubbing the floor clean before standing up and approaching her. She might have her back to me while washing her hands in the kitchen sink, but her body tenses nonetheless with every step I take. It doesn’t stop me from boxing her in by placing my hands on either side of the counter.

This time she will hear me out.

“Baby, it would be so much easier if you would just respond to the text. Can you do that for me?” She sniffles, and the sound just guts me, but I can’t quit now. So I lean down and whisper the words I just texted.

By night’s end you will believe in fate

Never having to leave anything up to chance

If you choose me, I’ll love you forever

Since loving you, Lili, could never be momentarily

I can’t bear it when she whimpers and her shoulders begin shaking violently. Then the dam bursts free and the sobs wrack her small frame. I wrap my arms tightly around her and just hold her upright while burying my face in her neck.

Breathlessly the word, “How,” escapes her quivering lips.

“We had no way of knowing when Mike returned your wallet that day or when you escaped out the back door of the club that it would end up like this. But, I felt our connection the moment I laid eyes on you that night. Now I know why. I had been in sync with you since reading your very first text all those months ago. Although I knew they were private and never intended for my eyes, I read them anyway. And guess what, Lili? I cleared my calendar every night around ten pm so I could read your heartfelt messages. They destroyed me, yet I felt more connected to you than I have anyone else in my entire life and I’d never even met you. It took every ounce of strength I had not to text you back in those first few months. Every night, I feared it would be my last connection to you.”

She’s wrecked and beautiful when she spins around and tangles her fists in my shirt. Clinging to me like she’s afraid I’ll let her fall. Never! “How lo-long have you known it was m-me?”

I use my fingers to brush away the hair from her tear-stained cheeks. God, she’s so beautiful, raw and in desperate need of an honest answer. “The instant I started thumbing through Private Messages and realized some of the messages in the book were the same texts that you’d sent to my number. It wasn’t too hard for me to figure out that you were my unknown caller.”

My heart shatters when she leans her head against my chest. “Oh my god, you’re the one who has Ryder’s old number.”

Yeah, I do. Ever since Valerie started stalking me again, I had to change my number once and for all. Let me tell you, it was a bitch with all my business contacts, but I knew it had to be done. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat for Lili if it’s necessary. “I’ll change my number tomorrow if that’s what you want.”

“No. No, you keep it. Ryder would have wanted it that way. And, hey, at least I won’t have to memorize another number.” Ah, a little attempt at humor amongst all her heartache. One of the reasons why I fell so hard and fast for this woman standing here with me today.

I greedily grab her face, bend down and crush her lips against mine. They part on a breathy moan and I take back what’s mine and always will be. I’m desperate to take this kiss all the way but I know we’re both reeling from what we just discovered. Clearly, Lili’s feeling vulnerable after what just transpired, and we really need to discuss it.

I tear myself away from her addictive lips and whisper, “We need to talk, baby.”

“Talking is so overrated. Make love to me.” I’ve no doubt she can feel how desperate I am to rip off her clothes and bury my cock deep inside of her wet pussy. I also know she’s using my arousal to try and distract me from what really needs to happen. Truth be told, if I stare into those beautiful eyes any longer, I’ll give her whatever she desires.

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