Page 112 of Fragments

You’relying.

“I don’t know if you can,” he sighs, like he knows, and I try to keep my gulping subtle. “Ren, I do like you.A lot.And seeing you with all these other people is just… I mean, it’syou, and that’s fine. I just… can’t be with you like that.”

My stomach is rolling in disgust with myself. Ihatemyself right now more than I ever have.

“I would never ask you to be someone you’re not,” he goes on. “But we’ll just have to stay friends…”

“I can’t just be your friend.” I shake my head. “I’m f—”

I stop myself quick before the words can slip out and scare the shit out of both of us. But I think he knows what I was going to say. His eyes have never been wider, more shimmery, and less sure.

“What’s the alternative then?” He rests his head on my shoulder to kiss my neck. “I won’t share you. I know myself; I wouldn’t be able to stand it.”

“You don’t have to,” I croak, jaw straining to keep myself in check. “I’ll stop.”

Liar.

He shakes his head. “No, you won’t, Ren… Iknowyou. You won’t.”

“I will,” I tell him with as much sincerity as I can muster. “For you, I will.”

Liar, liar, pants on fucking FIRE.

Lex lifts his head, peeking up at me. “You will?”

I nod, touching his jaw and his cheek and his lips.

Jesus, you’re the worst.

No, I’m beingserious. How could I not for this guy?? He’s perfect.

How could I ever say no to being with only him?? I’d have to be the biggest, dumbest fuckboy on the planet to want to keep sleeping with randoms instead of being his, making himmine.

My heart is rapping fast, stomach churning as that goddamn voice of reason keeps badgering me.

Whatever, idiot. You won’t be able to do it. You know you can’t.

You’re just going to hurt him…

And when you do, he’ll hate you forever.

“I want to be with only you, Lex,” I whisper, shockingly convincing, even for me. “I’ll do anything to make that happen. Baby, I will tryso hardnot to hurt you. I’ll be what you need…Anythingfor you.”

He looks skeptical, and he’s more than right to. But he wants to believe me, and it’s dropping his guard, exposing him. So soft and vulnerable, without the scars of past pain… He’s too innocent. Beautiful, naïve…Perfect.

His pink lips sweep into a tiny, beautiful smile of elation. “Promise?”

Leaning in, I swipe his mouth with my finger, breathing the lie over that sweet spot.

“Promise.”

Present day…

Storms on Alabaster Isle are a production.

Thunder rumbles the building, lights flicker, pipes creak. The far-off sounds of waves crashing and wind whipping outside the walls…

This place isn’t equipped for big ones. And the ones we’ve been getting over the past two weeks have been enough to knock the power out a few times. There are back-up generators, but still. It’s an even more ominous in here when the lights go out.