Page 64 of Savage Temptation

“You’re just trying to soothe your guilty conscience.”

His mouth becomes a hard line.

“There is one thing I want from you, though.”

“Anything.”

“I want one answer.”

“And what’s that?”

“Why did you tell me you loved me?”

He frowns, his eyes downcasting.

“That waswayworse than the footage.”

“I suppose I should be honest. I told you I loved you because it was the truth. When we initially hooked up, after your jailbreak and not the first time, I figured it would get you out of my system. But it didn’t, and I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I wanted to wake up to you each day, and enjoy dinner out without fearing that someone would catch us. I intended to tell you all that, but I thought I needed to run it past your brother first. It just took longer than I expected.”

There are no words. My heart triple beats in my chest as I look at Atticus, his face dour as it’s ever been.

This should be good news. It means that he wants to be with me. He wants a relationship.

But if that were the case, why is he looking at me so strangely?

“You’re going to tell me you can’t see me anymore, aren’t you?”

His eyes squint shut and he rubs the bridge of his nose.

“Why?”

“Because I’ll fuck up your life.”

“No—”

He holds up a hand to silence me.

How dare he. “You fucking prick.”

“I’m busy—”

“How could you say you loved me—”

“A PR nightmare just exploded across the media.”

“And then just act like you can walk away like nothing ever happened.”

“I wish you the best.”

He turns and leaves, not even bothering to say goodbye.

And I’m left reeling from his confession.

CHAPTER19

ATTICUS

Two Months Later