Page 114 of The Surrender

“It doesn’t matter. He doesn’t want you, Amelia. I love you.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Jude seethes.

But Nick goes on, unperturbed. “Please, come home with me.”

“I’m warning you.” The deadly edge to Jude’s voice is potent.

But it doesn’t deter Nick. “We can sort this out,” he presses. “I can make you happy, Amelia.”

“Shut up,” Jude hisses.

“We can wait until you’re ready for marriage,” he goes on, as if Jude’s not there. “And babies. I’ll wait as long as you want.”

“She’s fucking mine!” Jude’s roar echoes in the dusky sky. “Do you hear me?”

I startle, my shocked gaze bouncing back and forth between the men. And I still have fuck all information to tell me what I’m dealing with.

Drained of patience, I go to Jude, livid, and bunch his T-shirt in my balled fists, yanking his face down to mine, ignoring the pain in my hand. My eyes are stinging, my heart hurting it’s beating so fast. “Tell me how you know him,” I order, my jaw ticking, my eyes rooted to his, searching for the answer I need. “Tell me, Jude.”

A thunderstorm of emotions rolls through his gaze, his stare infinitely stuck to mine. “I love you,” he whispers, his voice cracking. He pries my hands from his chest and guides my arms around his waist, making me hug him. “I didn’t expect to fall in love with you.” His hands come up and hold my face, desperation leaking from him. “I just wanted to take you away, talk to you, explain.”

“Explain what?” I ask quietly, dread keeping me still, letting him touch and feel me.

“I wanted to tell you.”

It sounds like both men have things to tell me, but both are reluctant. “For God’s s—”

Suddenly, Jude’s mouth is on mine, swallowing my words, his kiss desperate and starved, and I’m momentarily caught up in the pure emotion he’s pouring into me.

“Jude,” I say, taking his wrists and pulling his hands away from my face, his mouth from mine. “What did you want to tell me?”

He stares at me, a lost man, as my pounding heart turns in my chest. I hold my breath, bracing for impact.

“I love you,” he whispers.

“Jude, please, talk to me.”

I look over my shoulder at Nick, fighting Jude when he tries to pull me back around. “Will one of you tell me what the hell is happening?”

“He doesn’t love you,” Nick says, his face sharp and disgusted. “It’s all a fucking game to him. He’s not who you think he is.”

I inhale. There are those words I feared.

“I love her,” Jude growls, passing me, going for Nick, his body strung.

“Jude!”

The crack of his fist meeting Nick’s jaw sends shivers down my spine and puts Nick on his arse. One punch. “I fucking love her,” he seethes, bending over Nick’s sprawled body, shaking. “Don’t tell me how I feel.”

“He’s been using you.” Nick’s eyes are on Jude as he spits blood on the gravel. “You’re nothing but a pawn to him. A weapon.”

I step back. “What?”

“No.” Jude abandons Nick and rushes to me. “Don’t listen to him.”

“He wanted to hurt me,” Nick mumbles on, his sneer wicked. “So he made the womanIlove fall for him.”

“Shut up!” Jude yells.