Page 73 of Hurt Me Not
I heard what she said loud and clear. No matter how many times I told her that she was worthy of someone way better than me, she wanted to stick around. She would.
For me.
That gave me hope. I had another chance to show her how much I wanted her. I might not be able to tell her what she wanted to hear, but I could show her.
Even though I still wished the damned words would come out of my mouth.
I ran my hand through my sweaty hair, pulling a bit too roughly.
It was so easy for Pearl to tell me shelikedme, even though I knew it probably wasn’t. She had her own demons.
But every time I wanted to tell her that I was in love with her, my mind went crazy. Thinking she’d reject me was probably insane, especially after what she’d said. I couldn’t stop the fear, though. Whenever I wanted to admit it, part of me thought that she would take it back. All of it.
And then what would I have?
She was mine. She had always been. She was mine even when the way I wanted her made me be cruel to her. I didn’t want anyone else because no one else would do.
So I needed to try to be what she deserved.
No matter how scared it made me, I was going to make sure my love was worthy of her.
Getting off the treadmill, I marched toward my room with renewed confidence.
I waited near the normal pick-up place for Pearl, immediately noticing her bodyguards. They were lingering off to the side, looking like normal college students. The only difference was that their gazes were much sharper.
I probably wouldn't have noticed them if I hadn’t been looking, though. Jax knew how to pick her people.
I looked at all the college students as they walked around campus, many of them chatting with friends and overall, justvery happy to be there. This was the first place in a young adult’s life when they could truly be on their own.
I remembered college feeling more like a burden, given that I needed it to get to where I was today. I took it very seriously and didn't have time to make friends or party or do anything else others did.
I always imagined Pearl as one of them, talking and laughing with friends, after she left our hometown. Being free. When I came over to NYU to look for her, I waited outside for hours until I finally saw her leaving with a group of people.
I thought she was doing okay. I didn’t want to rain on her parade by letting her know I was there, so I looked my fill, and I left. Even if she was the one who invited me, the one who said she’d wait for me here and be my tour guide as she said she would that night, I didn’t want to take her back to the past. Not until I was ready.
But I’d been wrong. And she’d been hurt.
Not anymore. No one will touch her now.
I watched as Pearl walked down the stone path walkway toward me. She was wearing casual jeans and a hoodie. The trees overhead created a sort of an arch all students had to walk through, and leaves floated down past her face, drawing my eyes to it.
The dark circles under her eyes were bad. All the midterm studying was taking a toll on her. They’d happen the following week, and I hoped that all the late-night studying was going to help her.
When she got close to me, she paused, taking in what I was wearing.
I stood straight, pride bursting through me as a blush coated her cheeks.
“What's the occasion?” she asked.
I ran my hands down my perfectly tailored suit jacket. I’d chosen my best one for this event. The best onefor her.
“Becoming worthy.”
Her blush intensified, and I couldn't help but smirk. I pushed away every thought that wasn’t about Pearl and me. I had waited a good chunk of my life for the moment when we could be together like this. And I wasn't going to let my father or her stalker ruin it.
For now, I was going to give her the life she deserved. I might not be good at sharing my emotions or being a sweet and generous partner, but I would try.
“Is that what this is all about?”
