“What’s it look like….” I grunt, breathless, amped up to the eyeballs on adrenaline. “I came after you.”
“Are you going to go through?” Some fucker behind us asks.
I whirl around at him, eyes blazing. “No, she fucking isn’t.”
Bella’s brow knits as she takes my hand and draws me to the side, out of the way of everyone. “Romain, come on.” When we’re no longer causing a scene, she turns on me. Her mouth opens, but nothing comes out.
Fine. I have enough words for both of us. “You fucking liar,” I snort. “Why would you say you’d never leave me again if that’s what you were planning on doing?”
She purses her lips. “It’s for the best. We can never be together.”
I struggle to comprehend that. “Don’t fucking give me that. We’re perfect together.”
“No, we’re not. I told you, it’s not real. You have other girls….”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “What other fucking girls?”
There are tears in her eyes now. “Lana—“
“You’re fucking joking. She’s no one.” I grab her hand, holding it tightly in both of mine. “You need me to prove it. I get it.” I start taking off my ring.
She sucks in a breath. “What are you doing?”
I manage to take the damn thing off. It slides right off after edging it over my knuckle—the only good thing about having sweaty palms. “It’s a family ring, not the right one,” I say.
Do I get down on one knee? Fuck it.
I start to drop, but she hauls at me to get back up. “Romain, stop.” Her eyes are wet with tears. “Please, just stop.”
I narrow my eyes at her, jaw tight, feeling like a fucking dick. “Then what do you want me to do? I love you, Bella. You can’t fucking leave me.”
She shakes her head. “But I don’t love you.”
I stare at her and then give a harsh laugh. “I don’t believe you.”
She shakes her head, pushing my hands away until I’m no longer holding her hand. She opens her mouth, and words come out. I’m hearing them but not listening because she’s telling me something so fucking absurd. It doesn’t sink in right away.
I blink at her, frowning. “You did what?”
“I was eight weeks pregnant. That’s why I left the hotel. I knew I couldn’t keep it. My parents would have disowned me.”
I don’t know what to say, so I just stare at her, balling my fists, wanting to punch something, anyone.
“So you got rid of it?’My voice is flat, empty.
“I was scared someone would find out.” She won’t look at me. “I’m so sorry,” she adds.
And then I can’t look at her. “You know, I never thought I had a heart until you ripped it clean out,” I say coldly and calmly. I draw in a breath and then start walking away. She doesn’t come after me. I don’t fucking want her to.
Not at that moment.
Maybe not ever.
Zane is waitingfor me when I get to the dorm house.
“Hey, your dad told me what happened to Bell—”
I’m so riled up, I don’t hesitate to smash his fucking face in. BAM. I slam my fist into him, breaking his nose. BAM. I smash my bare knuckles into his jaw. Pain explodes in the bones of my hand, but I keep hitting until the blood is pouring. “Do not say her name to me again, you fucking piece of shit.” I rage at him.