Page 229 of The Villain We Tempt

She turns to me with a look of anger melting into pain all over her face. Fuck me, it makes me want to wrap my arms around her and never let go. It makes me want to scream that I’m in love with her from the highest fucking mountaintop.

She pulls her lip between her teeth. Then she glances at Lucia.

“I’ll be up in five.”

Lucia nods, gives me the frown I deserve considering I carried one of her best friends out of rock concert like a sack of potatoes, then walks toward the front door of Highgate House.

I shut off the car and walk around to Galina’s side. Without even thinking, I reach out and cup her jaw.

“Lochlan…”

She steps away, avoiding my touch, folding her arms over her chest.

“Please don’t touch me.”

Fuck.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I just…” She hugs herself tighter. “I need you not to touch me right now because I know if you do, I'll fold,” she sighs, looking down at her feet and then up at me with this broken expression on her face. “I can’t fold, Lochlan.”

I draw in a slow breath.

“I fucked up,” I growl. “That tracker?—”

“I know the tracker was an accident,” she whispers. “It’s just…”

She trails off and rakes her teeth over her bottom lip.

“Being Velvet Villainess is easy,” she says softly. “She gets to want dark, deviant things, without worrying about other people’s perception of her. She's read a million books where the girl gets swept off her feet by some dangerous, broody guy, and she sees every plot twist long before they arrive.”

Her arms tighten even more.

"But she's notreal, Lochlan. The guys aren't, either, and they can't hurt her, because someone typed them into existence and gave them a happy ever after.”

Her eyes finally lift to mine, and my heart breaks as her face crumples.

“But you're not made up, and this isn't a book I get to put back on a shelf.”

She exhales a shaky breath.

“I wear the mask because it makes me feel invincible and lets me pretend I’m stronger than I am. And the problem is, you take away that mask. You make me scared to look at myself and see how weak I really am, and how big my insecurities and issues are.”

We stand in silence for a moment before she shakes her head.

“I haven’t read this book, Lochlan,” she finally chokes out. “So I don’t know if it has a happy ending.”

Her eyes lift to mine.

“I’m going inside now. Please don’t come after me.”

Then she leaves, and for the first time in my life, I realize why it's called heartache.

38

GALINA

“Hi, Dad.”

His face fills my phone screen as he flashes me that signature roguishly charming grin.