Hating You, Loving You (Inked Hearts 4)

He can't save me.

But I can save him.

I have to.

"Chlo'." He rubs my upper arms with a soft, sweet touch. "Your dad okay?" He sells the words, but it's clear he doesn't believe me.

"Yeah. He's fine." I bite my lips. How the hell do I get out of this? We have an appointment in an hour and a half. We have work all week. I'm supposed to sit by his side and watch him all… all year.

But then this apprenticeship was never going to work out.

Not with the two of us desperate to tear each other's clothes off every three seconds.

And not if…

If I'm out of time, it's not as if I'll be able to learn to be a tattoo artist anyway.

"But I… Uh…" I can't tell him the truth. He won't take it. I need to convince him I want him gone. That it's because I don't love him. Not because I do.

Gently, he turns me around.

His hand goes to my chin. He tilts my head toward him. Until I'm looking up at him.

And he's looking down at me.

My eyes dart around the room. I look everywhere else. Anywhere else. The string lights. The framed art. The open office door. The windows looking out on the dirty Venice street. The beach beyond that.

The blue sky mocking me with its endless brightness.

"What's wrong?" His voice is soft. Loving.

"I was just thinking."

"About?" He cups my cheek with his palm. Catches a tear with his thumb. "You're crying."

"No." I shake my head, but it does nothing to stem the tears catching on my lashes. Fuck this. I can't cry in front of him. That's giving it away.

And, well, this isn't going to be like it was with my mom. I'm going to find the strength to convince him I can handle this. To convince him I'm okay.

I suck my breath through my teeth, but that doesn't help.

When I blink, tears catch on my lashes. Then they're everywhere.

The room goes blurry.

"I'm sorry." I rest my forehead against his chest. Dig my fingers into the soft fabric of his shirt.

"Hey." He wraps his arms around me.

One presses into my lower back.

The other curls into my hair.

"You're gonna be okay, sunshine. I promise."

I shake my head.

"Yeah. Maybe not for as long as either one of us would like, but you will be okay."