Page 71 of Cruel Promise
“Us.”
My hand freezes from writing, and I set my pen down before flicking my gaze up. “There isn’t an us,” I shrug. “So we have nothing to talk about.”
“Don’t do that,” he growls. “Don’t run away.”
Scratching my forehead, I sigh. “I’m not running, Dom.” This is self-preservation.“Why are you pushing this?” We both know the score. Let’s call this what it is and walk away before any more damage is done. I can’t take it.
“Because you’re hiding—“
“I’m not. I’m right here in the library where anyone can see me. This isn’t hiding, Dominique. It’s called doing homework. Something you don’t have to worry about because you’re dropping out to play football.”
His glare burrows into me. “Is that a problem?” he asks. “Me not finishing my degree?”
What? No! “I don’t care if you get a degree or not. It makes no difference to me.” Except I’ll be here, and he won’t be. He’ll be playing football. Traveling. Seeing the world and meeting a bunch of new people.
“Talk to me, Kasey. Are you still upset because of Tamara?” He releases a harsh breath. “I fucked up,” he begins, and the fact I think he’s going to apologize is the only reason I keep my mouth closed and listen. Dominique Price never says he’s sorry. “I thought you knew about our arrangement. Figured one of the guys, or maybe Aaron, would have told you.”
“They didn’t."
His shoulders drop. “I know. I’m sorry.”
Hearing him apologize doesn’t feel as great as I thought it would. “Okay,” I tell him and it is. I won’t hold the Tamara stuff against him. What would be the point? It doesn’t change anything.
“What is it then? What did I do?”
I shake my head, a small smile on my face. “Nothing, Dom. You did nothing.”
He curses. “Things were good last night.”
My cheeks heat. “They were.”
“But they’re not now?”
I shake my head. “Things are fine now. Just… different.”
“Different how?”
I collect my things and shove them into my bag. “You’re going to play for the Royals,”
“I thought you’d be happy for me.” He sounds genuinely confused, which makes this harder.
“I am. You deserve it. But—“
Dominique gets out of his chair and crouches down beside me. He cups my face in his hands, his gaze boring into mine with an intense look tinged with fear. It steals my breath away.
“But what?”
Closing my eyes, I lean into his touch before saying, “But the Royals are in Richland, which means you’re moving.”
His brows furrow as he takes in my words before realization hits. “Come with me.”
I huff out a breath. “Why?” I ask. “What reason do I have for uprooting my entire life for you?”
“Because…”
His mouth twists into a grimace.Like I thought.Because what?
“You can’t pretend you expected a different outcome. We both knew the score. This was always going to be temporary.”
