Page 73 of Theodore

“Theo!” I gasped, pushing him away from me as he stared at me, a wounded expression on his face.

“Wow, Hannah. Don’t youwantme to kiss you?”

“Yes, of course, I do, but—”

Theo lied to me when I’d told him how I felt about Jax. As insecure as I had felt then, he told me Jax didn’t see me that way. I can still remember the pain and humiliation I’d felt. I understand now that Theo liked me himself, but other than begging me to have sex with him, he never once confessed his feelings.

Not that it matters now, but it just annoyed me he’d played God in my life.

Hot tears fell down my face as he shook his head, running his hands through his hair as he paced the room.

“This is about Jax, isn’t it?” Theo whispered as I closed my eyes.

I’d never considered Jax as an option because every time we got close, Theo shut it down in whatever capacity he could, usually at my expense. But when I thought about it,trulythought about it, I realized Ihadliked Jax quite a lot. But it didn’t mean I loved Theo any less.

“I want to be with you, Theo. I love you. I’m just...sad you did those things. You should’ve told me how you felt about me.”

Theo gazed at me, nodding faintly. He turned and left the room, slamming the door shut behind him. I grabbed my phone instantly, sending a text to Jax.

HANNAH:

I’m sorry. I asked Theo about telling you to keep away from me and vice versa. He’s fuming.

JAX:

All I read there was vice versa...he told you to keep away from me? Wow. He knows where I live, Hannah. Sometimes we have to do what we have to do. Are you okay?

Oh, my God.

28

THEODORE

Jax opened the door with a sigh as I glowered at him.

“I think we need to talk,” I grunted, my fists balling at my sides.

Jax dragged his fingers across his jaw, his eyes telling me Hannah had told the truth.

Did he still want my girl? Is that what this is?

“Look, man—” he began, holding his hands up.

“Did you, or did you not, try it on withmygirl last night?” I asked as he walked outside, closing the door behind him.

Jax stood in front of me, folding his arms as he glared at me.

“No. I just told her I liked her, way back when. I drank too much, and you weren’t there—”

“Way back when?” I repeated, stepping closer to him. “So you feelnothingnow, Jax?”

Jax clenched his jaw, refusing to answer as he looked away.

“Hannah ismygirlfriend, Jax! Youdon’tgo there!”

“Hey, because ofyou,Ineverwent there!” Jax snapped. “I liked her just as much as you did, but out ofrespectforyou,I backed away!”

“Yeah?” I muttered, my hands trembling. “If I’d had been in your shoes,no onewould’ve stopped me from being with her. So don’t youdaresay you liked her as much asme.”