Chapter 173 (1/2)

“No.” I lie.

“You’re sure?” he asks again.

I don’t want to tell him, but I have to. I can’t expect honesty from him when I don’t give the same in return.

I close my eyes. “I kissed him,” I whisper, hoping that he didn’t hear me. But when he knocks the books off the desk, I know he did.

Chapter one hundred and thirteen

TESSA

I open my eyes and look up at Hardin from the bed, but he isn’t looking at me. I feel like he’s barely registering that I exist. His eyes are focused on the books he pushed to the floor as he clenches his fists at his sides.

To bring him back to me from wherever he is, I say it again. “I kissed him, Hardin.”

Instead of looking at me, he taps his fists against his forehead in frustration, and my mind scrambles for an explanation. “I . . . you . . . why?” he mumbles.

“I thought you forgot about me . . . that you didn’t want me anymore, and he was there and . . .” My explanation isn’t fair, and I know it. But I don’t know what else to say. My feet won’t move toward him like my mind wants them to, and I remain on the bed.

“Stop saying that shit! Stop fucking saying he was there. I swear to God, if I hear that one more fucking time . . . !”

“Okay! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Hardin. I was so hurt and confused, he was saying all the things that I was so desperate for you to say and—”

“What was he saying?”

I don’t want to repeat anything that Zed said, not to Hardin. “Hardin . . .” I hold on to the pillow as an anchor.

“Now,” he demands.

“He was just saying what would have happened if he had won the bet, if we had dated instead.”

“And what was that like?”

“What?”

“What was that like, hearing that bullshit? Is that what you want? You want to be with him instead of me?” His anger is boiling and I can tell he’s trying his hardest to keep the lid on it, but the steam is pressing and pressing.