Page 190 of Revenge Puck

There it is.

“You hate him,” she says, stating a fact.

“I don’t?—”

“Don’t,” she cuts me off. “Don’tlie to me again.”

Lie.

The words hangs between us like smoke in the air, lingering.

“Juliette, I don’t hate Declan,” I admit. “He and I have been through too much shit. That’s why I was so furious—I felt betrayed, and I let that fuel me.”

That’s the ugly truth.

Juliette scoffs, throwing her hands up. “The two of you can’t even be in the same room together! You can’t even be on the ice without wanting to fight!” She raises her voice. “I refuse to be the prize at the end so you can rub it in his face.”

“I don’t want that for you either, Juliette.”

She uncrosses her arms, but it’s not an invitation.

It’s resolve.

She’s come to a decision.

“If there’s any version of this that works…” Her voice trails off. “You have to make things right. You have to talk to him.”

I go still. “Wedidtalk.”

She laughs. “You call that talking?” Snorts. “Okay.”

Right.

Yeah, that wasn’t talking.

That was two idiots posturing, waiting for the other to throw the first punch.

“What do you want me to say to him?” I ask, heat rising in my chest. “Sorry you slept with my girlfriend? Sorry I slept with your sister?”

Her head tilts. “You say whatever you need to say.”

Fuck.

“That’s not helpful.”

“It’s not supposed to be helpful,” she shoots back.

I drag a hand over my mouth.

“Don’t worry,” she adds coolly. “Declan is going to hate this as much as you are.”

“Oh, I’m sure he will.” Ihuffout a humorless laugh. “He’d rather block shots with his teeth.”

“Good. Then you’re even.”

Her breasts rise and fall, and I can practically hear her pulse beating from here.

“Hey, Aaron?”