Page 267 of Rogue Riders Duet

“And I was pathetic,” I cut in, voice sharp with self-loathing. “Starved for love, chasing after you like you were the only thing keeping me alive, literally. And now I have to live with that version of myself.”

He looks like he wants to say something more, but I don’t let him.

“I can’t keep doing this. I can’t live always bracing for the moment you leave.”

“Please, Al. I know I fucked up, but⁠—”

“I don’t doubt that you believe what you feel is real, but even if you’re right, I’m not sure I can ever feel safe being happy with you, Finn. I’d always wait for you to go and break my heart. I’m sorry.”

So damn sorry we both fucked up so badly.

The silence that follows is deafening.

And somehow, it’s still not enough to drown the sound of my heart breaking as I turn around and walk to the front door, leaving the boy I loved for almost half my life in the ruins of the future I used to dream about.

SEVENTEEN

Warm water swirls over my knuckles as I wash the plates, Luc humming something tuneless beside me.

I glance over my shoulder just as Alaina and Piper step out, Alaina smiling as they go.

I don’t mean to stare, but I do.

Her hair is still damp from a shower, her cheeks still pink, and my chest tingles when I remember the look in her eyes. Those wide, dark, Bambi eyes, when I grabbed her chin just a few moments ago.

I shift my weight as I try not to think about the feeling of her bottom lip under my thumb, or how Luc licked sugar off her cheek.

The fuck was going on in my pants during that?

“Dreamed about you last night.” Luc sighs and pulls me out of my thoughts with it.

“Yeah?” I glance at him. “Was I wearing pink?”

He grins. “You weren’t wearing anything at all. And Petite was there too. Wearing just as little.”

My fingers tighten around the sponge, sending a waterfall of soapy water to the bottom of the sink. Fuck. It’s as if he’s just read my mind.

“That thing earlier,” he continues, shutting off the water and turning to face me. “You holding her while I licked her? That was hot as fuck. And honestly…” He smirks. “I’d love to repeat that. Only this time, you’re holding her in place with your dick, and I’m licking other things.”

A shudder rips through me, and to mask it, I kick my foot into the back of his knee, making it bend and bang against the cabinet doors below the sink. “Shut up, Delacroix.”

Luc laughs, shaking it off before taking a small step away and crossing his arms, his expression serious now. “Don’t tell me you wouldn’t be into that.”

Of course I would.

My dick is already halfway there just thinking about it, but I shake my head. “It’s not that easy. She’s your girlfriend and⁠—”

Luc cuts me off. “I’m pretty sure she’d like to be yours too.”

“You don’t know that.”

He cocks a brow. “Oh, I know my Petite.”

“Would you even want that?”

He can’t be okay with me wanting her, too, right?

“You kidding? I just told you, it’s my fucking dream.”