know.”
“People only punish people that have hurt them in some way, who’ve done them wrong. And you haven’t done either of those things to me, have you?” He cut his eyes at her, giving her a moment to think up a response. When that response never came, he charged on. “Did you fuck Jack?”
Lila wasn’t surprised by the question. It had been lingering in that quiet house, in the strange silence that had swooped in between them, all night long.
“That’s not appropriate.”
“Can you answer my question?”
“I’ve already answered that question.”
“And I’m asking you again.”
She inhaled, still fighting to handle the chaos that commenced in her chest whenever she allowed herself to look into his eyes for too long these days.
“Simple question, simple answer,” Chase pressed.
It wasn’t simple at all.
Lila had a feeling he already knew the answer.
Back when he was thirteen, she could’ve dismissed the question as something completely inappropriate, none of his business. But Chase was a man now. There was a steadfast conviction that drove him and supported his passions, a conviction that hadn’t been there before. She could no longer dismiss him. He was too sure of his own mind, of his own heart, of her.
He swallowed, and she watched it move down his throat. She didn’t want to hurt him. She’d rather cut off both her arms. After seeing he and Jack laughing together just hours earlier, she knew she couldn’t send them all spiraling back to the dramatic place they’d been a year ago.
It astounded her how the answer to one simple question could easily do just that.
“You can tell me, Lila.”
She saw it in his eyes. The hope. Even as he nodded his head, the desire in his eyes was poignant.
“I’m not sleeping with Jack. Do I want to kill him? Yes. Do I hate the sight of him? Absolutely. But that’s almost always been the case.”
“Almost.” Chase’s eyes jumped back and forth between hers, reading her, weighing the answer. Then his gaze fell to her lips, and he smiled softly.
Lila motioned behind her and spoke, just to wipe the residue of the lie from her mouth. “You two were getting along really well earlier. It was really nice to see. Laughing. Joking. You’re like two best friends.”
“We don’t hate each other anymore. Best friends might be a little strong.”
“I’m proud of you, you know. I’m so proud of you for fixing everything between the two of you. It’s important to keep him in your life.”
“I know that. I get that.”
She kicked her feet, smiling down at the tile floors. “He called me a monster. The night I got arrested.” She grinned up at him. “Do you think I’m a monster?”
Chase’s lips curled down, and he tilted his head back and forth, considering her question. “Are you a monster? Nah. Not really.”
“Not really ?”
“Not a hundred percent.”
“ Not a hundred percent ?”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Apparently you were waiting for me to tell you what you wanted to hear, and not the real truth. My mistake.” He straightened, clearing his throat. “No, Lila. You’re not a monster at all. You’re a grounded, level headed, well-rounded person with a heart of gold and a mind like Rockefeller.” He nodded. “Does that work better for you?”
“I hate you sometimes.”
He laughed. “Like I said, you’re not all monster.”
“So I’m just a quarter monster? A half monster? A fifth monster?”
“Nowhere near half. There’s no way anyone as beautiful as you could ever be half monster.”
“Am I beautiful, or am I a monster? You’re all over the place.”
“A beautiful monster,” he decided.
“You can’t just throw a compliment in front of the word monster.”
“Aren’t we all monsters at the end of the day, in one way or another?”
Lila’s eyes searched his. “Stop saying eloquent things.”
“So Jack called you
“People only punish people that have hurt them in some way, who’ve done them wrong. And you haven’t done either of those things to me, have you?” He cut his eyes at her, giving her a moment to think up a response. When that response never came, he charged on. “Did you fuck Jack?”
Lila wasn’t surprised by the question. It had been lingering in that quiet house, in the strange silence that had swooped in between them, all night long.
“That’s not appropriate.”
“Can you answer my question?”
“I’ve already answered that question.”
“And I’m asking you again.”
She inhaled, still fighting to handle the chaos that commenced in her chest whenever she allowed herself to look into his eyes for too long these days.
“Simple question, simple answer,” Chase pressed.
It wasn’t simple at all.
Lila had a feeling he already knew the answer.
Back when he was thirteen, she could’ve dismissed the question as something completely inappropriate, none of his business. But Chase was a man now. There was a steadfast conviction that drove him and supported his passions, a conviction that hadn’t been there before. She could no longer dismiss him. He was too sure of his own mind, of his own heart, of her.
He swallowed, and she watched it move down his throat. She didn’t want to hurt him. She’d rather cut off both her arms. After seeing he and Jack laughing together just hours earlier, she knew she couldn’t send them all spiraling back to the dramatic place they’d been a year ago.
It astounded her how the answer to one simple question could easily do just that.
“You can tell me, Lila.”
She saw it in his eyes. The hope. Even as he nodded his head, the desire in his eyes was poignant.
“I’m not sleeping with Jack. Do I want to kill him? Yes. Do I hate the sight of him? Absolutely. But that’s almost always been the case.”
“Almost.” Chase’s eyes jumped back and forth between hers, reading her, weighing the answer. Then his gaze fell to her lips, and he smiled softly.
Lila motioned behind her and spoke, just to wipe the residue of the lie from her mouth. “You two were getting along really well earlier. It was really nice to see. Laughing. Joking. You’re like two best friends.”
“We don’t hate each other anymore. Best friends might be a little strong.”
“I’m proud of you, you know. I’m so proud of you for fixing everything between the two of you. It’s important to keep him in your life.”
“I know that. I get that.”
She kicked her feet, smiling down at the tile floors. “He called me a monster. The night I got arrested.” She grinned up at him. “Do you think I’m a monster?”
Chase’s lips curled down, and he tilted his head back and forth, considering her question. “Are you a monster? Nah. Not really.”
“Not really ?”
“Not a hundred percent.”
“ Not a hundred percent ?”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Apparently you were waiting for me to tell you what you wanted to hear, and not the real truth. My mistake.” He straightened, clearing his throat. “No, Lila. You’re not a monster at all. You’re a grounded, level headed, well-rounded person with a heart of gold and a mind like Rockefeller.” He nodded. “Does that work better for you?”
“I hate you sometimes.”
He laughed. “Like I said, you’re not all monster.”
“So I’m just a quarter monster? A half monster? A fifth monster?”
“Nowhere near half. There’s no way anyone as beautiful as you could ever be half monster.”
“Am I beautiful, or am I a monster? You’re all over the place.”
“A beautiful monster,” he decided.
“You can’t just throw a compliment in front of the word monster.”
“Aren’t we all monsters at the end of the day, in one way or another?”
Lila’s eyes searched his. “Stop saying eloquent things.”
“So Jack called you
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