Page 207 of Dream On, Liar

The second was worse.

I wanted to kiss her.

“I gave you a chance to talk like an adult.” Her expression shifted—small, careful, like she was bracing. “I told you exactly how I felt. I told you I couldn’t do be a test before you took a chance. You had every opportunity to tell me what your side of it was. And before we could even discuss it, you left while I was in the shower.”

Something in her face tightened immediately.

“You didn’t even respect me enough to say goodbye.”

Her gaze dropped for half a second.

“I didn’t think—”

“I know.”

The interruption came out harsher than I meant.

“That’s the problem. I know I’ve made my fair share of impulsive moves on you, but I’ve always given you a moment to make your mind. But, all you do is just react. You don’t think about it until later. That may work for you, but it doesn’t for me.”

I looked away, jaw tightening, the café suddenly too loud around us.

The barista called out an order number somewhere behind me.

I didn’t move.

“Rihaan—”

“I didn’t deserve that.”

That made her go still.

Completely.

The anger I’d been holding didn’t rise.

It just…thinned.

Like it had nowhere left to go.

“I gave you everything,” I said quietly. “I told you things I’ve never told anyone. I let you see me without all the bullshit I’ve spent years building around myself.”

A short, humourless breath left me.

“And you left.”

Her voice came softer now. “What other option did we have?”

That question.

It landed exactly where I didn’t want it to.

I looked at her properly.

Because I’d been waiting for it.

“I looked into the contract—or Raina had looked into it and told me about it.”

Her brows pulled together. “What?”