“She’s going to be fine,” Reed says, coming up behind me and pressing his lips against the juncture where my neck meets my shoulder.
I suck in a breath, making him pause.
“That’s not the only thing that’s been bothering you, is it?”
I turn and swallow the thick lump in my throat. But it only shifts lower, sitting over my heart instead, bringing with it a dull ache.
“No.” I shake my head, fighting the tears back. I will pass out from dehydration at this rate.
“Harls, what is it?”
The softness in Reed’s voice, the concern, the warmth. It’s making this so much harder. No matter how I say it, it’s going to hurt both of us.
“It’s time I leave.”
His hands are resting on my waist, and I take them in mine and look at them, studying his long, skilled fingers. Fingers that play beautiful music on his guitar… fingers that have held themselves entwined with mine when I’ve needed them. Fingers which have left imprints on my heart.
Forever.
I let them go and I bring mine back to my sides as my heart squeezes.
“What are you talking about?” Reed’s brows knit together, his eyes searching mine.
If there was any other way…
“It’s time I move out, Reed. Our arrangement’s over.”
He pauses for a moment, then his eyes crease at the corners, and he laughs, pulling me to him, wrapping me in his arms and kissing my hair.
“Fuck, Angel. I thought you were serious.” Relief floods his voice, and his chest relaxes as he exhales. My heart squeezes painfully in my chest.He thinks I’m joking.
I screw my eyes up and take a deep breath. My voice doesn’t even sound like mine as I speak. “Iamserious.”
His arms stiffen around me, then he draws back so he can see my face. “What?”
My stomach bottoms out as he stares at me, his eyes going round the moment he realizes I mean it. The sight of it alone would be enough to break me if I didn’t already feel wrecked beyond repair. But I need to do this. I need to leave to protect him.
I drop my eyes down, breaking his gaze long enough so I can breathe again.
“Why the hell are you even thinking about our arrangement? We are way past that.” Reed’s voice has taken on a darker edge.
“It was just pretend, Reed. The election is over. You won it. You’re going to be mayor.” I pull completely free of his arms, putting some distance between us.
His mouth gapes open, and he steps toward me, but I move backward, further out of reach.
“If you still think that, even for one second…” He drags his hands down his face and then pushes them back into his hair. “If you even believe that for one second, then I’ve failed you. I’ve failed us. None of this has ever been fake to me. The way I feel… the way we are together… I’ve never pretended. Not once.”
I shake my head. The movement so small anyone else would miss it.
But not Reed.
“You think I won?” He stares at me.
“You did. You’re going to be mayor in a few weeks. It’s what this whole thing was about. You and me… you winning the election.”
“Christ, Harley. Can’t you see?” He screws his face up as he looks at me. “If you really believe that all of this… us… that we had an expiration date the second the election was over, then I haven’t won. I’ve lost. I’ve lost everything, Harls.”
“Reed—”