The whole town wants our heads on a pike, and here he is, digging himself in even deeper with me. Nobody suspects that he’s Zac. That Xavier Emery could ever harbor secrets this dark. His untouchable, popular guy status has got him covered for now, but loving me will ruin him, get him exposed.
When they find out that I’m Love, and they will, I don’t want him anywhere near the crossfire.
Footsteps erupt behind me.
He’s following me.
“Why can’t I say it?” Xavier hollers.
Shit, he’s fast.
Stupid tall guy legs.
“Because you just can’t, okay?” I blurt as I speed walk. “Not unless you—”
“Unless I mean it?” he finishes.
I swallow hard, willing myself to keep going.
I can still save him—I have to.
“What if I do mean it?” he shouts to my back.
I can’t take another step.
Xavier, on the other hand, has no issue crossing the parking lot to reach me. He’s barely a few steps behind me now, and my brain screams to escape, but it’s as if my feet are embedded into ice blocks.
“What if you’re the only thing that makes sense anymore?” He sounds pained, broken. “What if, when everything went to shit, all I could think about was making sure you were okay?” I hear him step forward but don’t turn around. “What if I’ve never felt this way about anyone in my entire fucking life, Vee?”
I yelp when he grabs my arm and spins me around to face him. He doesn’t waste a single second taking my face into his hands, aligning his gaze with mine as he whispers, “Can I say it then?”
A river of tears pools in my eyes, and anger overrides the warmth welling in my chest. I push him off me and slap him with a strength I didn’t even know I had.
Xav stumbles back in shock, his jaw locked and his cheek a deep shade of red. Guilt and regret crush me, but I still bleat, “I told you not to go there!”
Xavier feels his jaw with a wince.
Then he steps closer, towering over me like I didn’t just swing at him two seconds prior.
“Well, that’s too fucking bad… Because I think I’m—”
“Don’t you dare!” I bark.
“I think I’m falling in love with you, Aveena Harper.”
My mouth falls open.
Instantly, my hand goes flying, but this time, Xav anticipates the slap, snatching my wrist midair and jerking me to his chest without batting an eye. Neither of us move, or speak, for several seconds. We stare at each other in the dark, quiet parking lot like it’s a staring contest.
Then Xavier’s lips rain down on mine.
And I come undone.
No better way to put it.
I fall apart in every way that matters, bombarded with the million emotions I’ve been covering up with anger. Desire, the fear of destroying his shiny little future… Love.
God, I love him.