Page 86 of Lumi

“For not assumin’ ye were a virgin?”

Lumi had that look on her face like she wanted to leave the conversation, and sure enough, she tried to move away but was stuck because of the handcuffs.

“Ye can’t run from me this time, princess. I know ye hate this talk, but we’re havin’ it, and ye better be honest.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Fine. Then let me be honest. You’re an idiot because you have poor taste in women, and I’m tired of seeing you with someone who doesn’t appreciate you.”

“I have poor taste in women?”

“Yes. All your girlfriends had issues.”

“Everyone has issues, Lumi.” I raised our linked hands. “We’re doing this because of yer issues.”

“I’m aware, but what I mean is that you shouldn’t be with someone who can’t see how special you are. Meghan always pushed you to buy her things you couldn’t afford, and it was never enough. There was always a newer phone or a bigger diamond. And Siobhan was depressed and never had a nice word to say to you. Why were you with those awful women?”

I snorted. “Because I have poor taste in women. Ye just said it.” My tone was defensive even though I knew she was right. “But for the record, I did come to ye, and ye rejected me.”

“You were married and so drunk that your speech was slurred,” Lumi’s tone turned harder. “Why would I take another chance on you after you crushed me?”

“Crushed ye?” I lowered my brow, hating that word.

“I loved you, Damian. With everything I had to offer… and then you made love to me, making my hopes come true. It was better than I could have ever expected, and I was so naïve that I thought it was as magical for you as it was for me.”

“It was!”

“You didn’t even stay for breakfast. You rushed off to another woman without ever considering how you crushed my confidence and destroyed the tiny bit of trust I had in men. I thought I was the worst lover in the world, that I smelled bad, or that there was something wrong with my body.”

I sighed. “I’m sorry, Lumi. I never wanted ye to feel that way. I’m not proud of the way I left that mornin’, but Siobhan was pregnant with my child. Look, if I could go back, I’d do things differently.”

Lumi’s cheeks were red, and she spoke fast. “Youcan’tgo back, and you know what… that night when I was with Spencer, and you came by with your drunken declaration of love, I rejected you because of my pride. I needed you to fight for me; to win my trust back and show me that you meant the things that you said, but it only took one small rejection, and then you never spoke about it again.”

Her accusation that I had failed her by respecting our friendship felt unfair and made adrenaline rush through me. “What did ye want me to do?” I moved closer with my eyes locked with hers. “Did ye want me to write ye poetry or love songs? That’s not who I am, Lumi.”

“I wanted you to show me that you cared.”

“I fockin’ cared. I always fockin’ cared. Ye have no idea how much I restrained myself from…” My head turned away, and I closed my eyes for a second, worried that my honesty could cost me my friendship with Lumi.

“From what? Don’t ask me to be honest if you’re not willing to do the same.”

A switch clicked off in my brain, making me pin her linked arm behind her back and use my body to push her against the kitchen counter. Lumi tried to move, but I trapped her with my other arm.

“Ye were the reason I swapped shifts so I could attend every birthday and celebration with the Robertson family. Maybe I should have told ye in words, but I showed ye, Lumi. I fockin’ showed ye. Don’t tell me ye never noticed how my face lit up whenever I saw ye.”

She kept our eye contact and opened her mouth to speak, but I wasn’t done. “Did ye ever doubt that I respected ye?”

“No.”

“Did ye doubt that I’d give my life for ye?”

“No.”

“Then how can ye doubt that I love ye?”

Lumi’s eyes welled up with tears, and she bit her lower lip. “I wanted you to love me as more than a friend, but you always have some excuse. First, I was too young, and then it was because I’m a Robertson, and you don’t want to jeopardize your friendship with my family. Then it’s because you don’t want to risk losing my friendship, and the other day in the gym, you told them that we’re too different. I’m tired of hoping that one day you’ll want all of me, and I’m not sticking around to meet your next girlfriend and have my heart ripped open again.”

Butterflies filled my whole stomach, and their fluttering wings blew insane courage into my bloodstream, making me go for all or nothing.

Bending down, I picked Lumi up on the kitchen counter and pushed between her legs. We were nose to nose when I spoke, “If ye don’t want to meet my next girlfriend, then I suggest ye stay away from the bathroom mirror.”