Always Only You by Chloe Liese (z-lib.org).epub

served discussing this philosophy of yours rather than middle names and
numbers of kids over dinner. Because I’m not sure I agree with that.”
His eyes narrow as he tips his head. “I was here because I love you. Partners
who love each other are there for each other. You don’t agree with that?”
Stubbornness draws the arrow. Wounded pride aims. Anger fires, fatally
accurate. “I never said I loved you.”
Ren opens his mouth, then freezes. Slowly he straightens and stares down at
me. I can see his gears turning. It’s playing with semantics. We both know I’ve
meant it, even though I have yet to say those exact words.
His jaw tics. His eyes glisten as he stares at me. “What are you saying?”
It hurts like hell, looking at him. Knowing that I’m pushing away the best
person I’ve ever had in my life, but that’s the problem. I don’t belong with
someone as good as Ren. He’s not detached enough, not selfish enough. His
boundaries are too lax, his impulse for intimacy too quick.
The truth is there, like it’s always been. Sunshine and storms share the sky,
but never together. They brush, tangential, fleeting moments of breathtaking
beauty—the burning, life-giving sun piercing through a blackened sky—until it’s
over so quick, it makes you wonder if it ever happened at all.
“I’m saying you should leave, Ren.”
He rears back like I’ve struck him. Blinking, he glances away, then down to
the ground. “You don’t mean that, Frankie. You’re angry. And while I disagree
with you, you’re allowed to be angry with me. But I’m not leaving.”
I shut my eyes, press my back into the bed, and swallow my tears. “Yes, you
are.”
“Frankie—”
“Get out.”
It’s silent for a long moment. Nothing but ambient noises—doors open and
shut, the beep of a machine. I keep my eyes closed, hold my breath, and pray for
the torturous moment to end.
Suddenly his voice is near my ear. “I’ll give you time. But I’m not walking
away from this, not for good. You deserve better than that. And I do, too.”
I bite my tongue, tears slipping down my cheeks. Finally, I feel his heat, that
clean, spicy scent drift away. Long strides fade from the room before the door
clicks shut.
And then I fall apart.
Not a minute later, Lo reenters my room and looks straight from my tearstained
face to Ren’s empty chair. “Okay. What level of self-sabotage did we
just activate?”
I dab my eyes with one hand, and with the other, lift a sparkly painted