Page 71 of The Lie
Now it’s up to me to forgive him. For us to go back to the way we were…with a few scars left behind to remind us that life isn’t perfect. And we all fight.
“I forgive you, Jace.”
His eyes widen in shock. He probably wasn’t expecting that. But I need this, for me more than him. I hate that there’s been this huge divide between us all, and I seem to be the only one who hasn’t forgiven him here.
“You need to work on your anger. Think before you act. Speak up when you’re feeling hurt, and we can talk it out.”
With a nod, he gives me a beaming smile. He instantly seems lighter at my words, and I smile in return.
“Thank you, Mila. I won’t ever abuse your trust again.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him not to make promises he can’t keep. But I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. He changed so much in the four years I was away. And now we’re all changing together. Growing into who we’re meant to be.
“Let’s go to Annie’s Diner for lunch,” Hunter suggests.
“Lunch?” I asked, puzzled.
“Yeah, it’s eleven, babe.” He kisses my shoulder and reaches for his shorts.
My stomach rumbles at the thought of food, and I realize I’m hungry. Everyone laughs, and I do too. “Lunch, it is.”
I laugh at a joke Hunter makes as we walk up the path to my door with food for the night. We spent time down at Annie’s diner with Jace and Roman. It’s weird having Jace back. And it’s not the Jace I met when I got here. This is more like old Jace. A mix of our childhood but in a grown body.
There, on my doorstep, are six red roses. The hell? I look over to Jace’s house and back to the roses.
“He’s trying to show me up,” Hunter says with a chuckle.
“He needs to stop. I’ve forgiven him. We’re friends now.” It might not be what it used to be, but I’m willing to try again. Baby steps. But when did he get the chance to put them there? We left him at the diner. Roman drove them both and is a few minutes behind us.
Hunter wiggles his brows at me, and we make our way inside with all the food and roses.
“I think he wants to be more than friends.” He slaps my ass, and I jump.
I chuckle and grab his hoodie, pulling him in for a kiss, squishing the roses between us. He grabs my waist as he plants one right on me.
“Can I eat your pussy for dinner?” Hunter groans into my neck.
“No, you can have it for dessert,” I let him know. We don’t have time, I want dinner first. Roman wouldn’t care if he walked in on us. But I want to see if maybe I can have them both? A Hunter, Roman sandwich.
And speak of the devil.
“Hey handsome,” I call out to Roman as he locks the front door and rushes to the window. We’re one step behind him. What’s going on? There’s a car outside on the street and they’re just sitting there with their headlights directed at my house. They slowly peel out and I can see the men from here. My heart sinks as they point at us.
Roman warned me they would find him…find me. I start to shake as Roman grabs the roses from my hand and roars. It’s primal and a warning to them.
“Amato family,” he spits out.
Roman’s phone goes off with a message and we all look down as he opens it.
Amato Assholes: You owe us a fight. Get ready for tonight or your girlfriend gets to fight…for her life.
I have lost feeling in my whole body as it starts to shut down.
They know where I live.