Page 151 of Love Unspoken

"I can't afford a mortgage if I'm not working, Jax."

"I'll rent your place."

"What?"

"I like it."

"But it's so…ordinary," I said, confused.

Jax laughed. "I thought I wanted fancy to show off to my family how well I was doing, but every time I'm with you, I realize that I want comfort. I want ease. I don't want to show off, don't need to."

I looked at Jax and wished Lucas felt as he did. I wished Lucas could step away from his family and just be himself. I couldn't say he was weak because he wasn't. Caring for your family and wanting to not hurt them wasn't a matter of strength; it was a matter of priorities, and he'd once again shown me that I was low on his list.

This was, as the cliché went, the last straw. I'd leave after Christmas. I'd finish the semester and then maybe take a few months off to recuperate from the hell I'd just been through at Dad's place. And then, slowly, I'd rebuild my life away from the temptation that was Lucas Covington.

TWENTY

LUCAS

The applause still echoed in my ears, but it was hollow, like the ringing in your head after a bomb exploded.

I'd barely stepped off the stage before the realization hit me—like a ton of bricks—that I'd just made the biggest mistake of my life. I should've made it clear to everyone that Kath and I were not together.

My eyes swept the room, searching for Amara, and when I found her, the look on her face was like a knife to my gut. Her eyes were wide, filled with disbelief and something far worse: deep, deep hurt.

Goddammit! This wasn't what I wanted. This wasn't what I'd intended at all.

Kath was still at my side, clutching my arm as if she could tether me to the ground, keep me from following the impulse screaming at me to go to Amara. Her grip tightened, nails digging into my sleeve, but I couldn't focus on her. I couldn't concentrate on anything but the image of Amara turning away, Jax leading her out of the ballroom, away from me.

I disapproved of what Kath had said on that stage. It was apparent that she'd done it on purpose. I didn't want to make a scene; Covington's didn't wash their dirty linen in public, but to Amara, it must've seemed like I accepted Kath's declaration of us being together, forging a bond as if I'd chosen her. And that was the farthest thing from the truth.

I needed to fix this. I needed to get out of here, find Amara, and tell her that this was all a misunderstanding. That I hadn't meant to hurt her—again. But Kath, damn her, was holding me in place, her smile too bright, too self-satisfied.

"What the fuck did you do?" I growled close to her ear.

"Wasn't that perfect, Lucas?" Her voice was sugary sweet like she hadn't just blown my life to pieces. "Everyone knows we're back together now. No more awkward questions or rumors. It's all out in the open."

I dragged her to one of the side rooms so we could have privacy. I tore my arm from her grasp, the movement so abrupt it startled her.

"What the hell were you thinking, Kath?" I snapped. "I didn't agree to this. I didn't want this."

Her smile faltered, and for a split second, I saw a flash of fear in her eyes. But then it was gone, replaced by that stubborn, manipulative determination she always had when she was set on getting her way. "Lucas, you know this is what's best," she insisted, reaching for me, "We belong together. We always have."

"No, Kath, we don't." The words came out colder than I intended, but I didn't care. "I made a mistake by allowing you to be so familiar with me, and I made an even bigger one tonight by standing up there with you. But don't get it twisted—this wasn't my choice. You ambushed me."

Her eyes widened, panic flashing across her face as she realized I was serious. "Lucas, you don't mean that. We have history; we have a future. I thought we agreed⁠—"

"We agreed that I was done with you," I cut her off, stepping back, putting distance between us. "You manipulated this entire situation to make it look like we're a couple, which we're not. And you know what? I'm done. I'm done letting you control the narrative. I'm done pretending that what we had still matters."

Her expression crumpled, and for a moment, I almost felt sorry for her. Almost. But then I remembered the look on Amara's face, the way she'd looked at me like I was the worst kind of bastard. And I knew there was no room for pity here. Not anymore.

"I'm going back on that stage and telling the fuckin' world that you and I are done. I'm with Amara…or at least I was working on it until you decided to be a spoiled brat," I barked at her.

"Lucas, please," Kath pleaded, her voice trembling now, all the bravado gone. "We can fix this."

"Fix what, Kath?" I hissed, barely keeping my anger in check. "You forced my hand in front of a room full of people. You manipulated me into looking like I'm choosing you over Amara. Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"God! I'm so sick of Amara," she bellowed. "She's not going to be accepted as your wife by anyone. Can't you see that? You end up with her, and Charleston society will decimate her."