I shuddered seeing him this way.

  It was the first time he was permitting it.

  “You still don’t get it, do you? Well me let me make it easy for you, I would have given up everything for you, Adrian.” I paused again, needing a second before I shared the truth out loud for the first time. “Even Cade.”

  He jerked back, barley standing.

  “Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to admit that?” I yelled, grateful we were far away from the gala. “Do you even care about what you’re putting me through? What you’ve put me through in the past? When is it enough for you? Huh?” I shoved him. “What do I need to say for you to stay away from me? I hate you, Adrian. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, I fucking hate you! Do you understand me now? Are you listening? Are you finally paying attention? I want nothing do with you other than working for you. That’s it. It’s the only reason I’m still here. I’m done playing these games with you. I’m no good at them, I never was. You have years of experience in using people. And I’m not like you, thank God.”

  The memories of the man I fell in love with were breaking me one by one as he stood before me, yet he was also the same man who fucking destroyed me in the end.

  “No amount of gifts or excuses is going to change how I feel about you.”

  In a stern voice, he stressed, “That’s where you’re wrong, Paige. You can lie to yourself, but you can’t lie to me. I know you still love me. I feel it, I see it; you’re mine. You’ve always been mine and don’t you ever forget it.”

  He reached over to wipe away my tears, to hold me in his arms, but I stepped back. Though this time, there was no way in hell I could keep him away from me.

  In one swift movement, he gripped onto the back of my neck and before I realized what was happening, he was holding my fragile frame in his strong and steady arms. Kissing away the tears from my face. I stirred beneath his lips while my body quivered under his touch.

  “Adrian, please…” My mouth quivered. “I can’t do this with you anymore. If you ever cared for me, please…you have to let me go,” I breathed out against his lips.

  “Can’t you see what’s obviously in front of you. I’m here. I’m finally fucking here! And there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than wiping away the pain I caused you for what feels like an eternity.”

  Our mouths were parted as if we were trying to breathe for one another, sucking in air that wasn’t available for the taking. I peered up at him through my wet lashes, searching his eyes for some truth beneath the hurt he inflicted on me.

  “Adrian, please…” I begged for I don’t know what. My mind conflicted, battling my broken heart.

  “I’ll spend the rest of our lives proving to you how fucking sorry I am. Give me a chance to make things right with you, Cherry. Please!” He begged.

  I shut my eyes, turning my face from him.

  “You mean everything to me. Then, now, always.”

  Breaking our connection, I could no longer bear to see the man staring back at me, so I spewed with hatred, “I don’t love you anymore.”

  Gripping my chin to look at him, he growled, “Say it to my fucking face then.”

  I opened my eyes, once again staring deep into his.

  I repeated, “I don’t love you anymore. And I haven’t for a really long time. We’re done, Adrian. We’re. Fucking Done. I’m Fucking. Done. Do you understand the words I’m saying?”

  He didn’t stop me when I sidestepped him and left.

  He couldn’t.

  There was nothing left to say.

  Not when it just blatantly bled out of us this way.

  Adrian

  By the time we walked back into the penthouse suite it was past midnight. Paige went straight to her room. For the first time in the last month, I didn’t follow her there, demanding she sleep in my bed.

  Instead, I was about to walk toward the couch, deciding to sleep there, not wanting to be alone in the bed that was supposed to be ours. Except an envelope caught my attention under the door. I picked it up off the ground and opened it right there in the foyer.

  My heart sank.

  My stomach churned.

  My temper roared.

  There were photos of tonight. Including the pictures of us out on the balcony. These images were different from the ones this motherfucker had already taken. It was then I realized it was a man…

  Because my face was cut out.

  Fifteen

  Paige

  Then: One Month Later

  Iwaited backstage. I was beyond nervous about participating in this auction to begin with, but I wanted to try to step out of my comfort zone.

  Who was I kidding?

  All I wanted was to forget about Adrian in any shape, way, or form I could. He was taking up residence in my head without even trying. He was just there, looming in the forefront of my mind.

  The morning after I woke up in Adrian’s bed, I walked into my dorm room. Not even twenty minutes after, Cade was knocking on my door. To say I wasn’t instantly terrified he’d found out I’d slept in his brother’s bed would be an understatement. Thank goodness he was only there to apologize for flying off the handle the night before.

  We quickly made up and since then, we’d been spending more time together. I was basically at their apartment on the daily, running into Adrian whether I wanted to or not.

  He went right back to our usual dynamic. He’d pick on me, and act like nothing had changed between us when it felt as if everything had. To him, I was just his brother’s best friend. I was beginning to think maybe he wasn’t lying that morning. He didn’t kiss me, and I’d merely imagined it.

  Except there were a couple of times we were alone for a few minutes for one reason or another, and I’d catch him staring at me from a distance. We’d lock eyes, but his guard was still up. I couldn’t read him. He wouldn’t allow it. All I had were these stolen moments of the man I craved in ways I hadn’t before.

  Maybe I was imagining that too?

  My brain was on an endless repeat of thoughts and questions plaguing me on the daily. It didn’t matter what I was doing, Adrian was there lurking in my memories.

  Why did it feel so real then?

  One thing I was sure of, my crush on him turned into way more than just infatuation. It developed into a whole-ass fixation.

  Was I in love with him?

  “Are you ready?” Dani questioned, tugging me back to the present.

  “I think so.”

  “You’re going to do great! The guys are going to go crazy for you.”

  I was auctioning off a date with me for a great cause. The money was being donated to an all-children’s hospital for kids who were suffering from cancer.

  The college was putting it on. I jumped at the chance of possibly meeting a nice guy that Adrian hadn’t scared away with his stupid rule of “look but don’t touch” when it came to me.

  “Okay, you’re up next!” Dani exclaimed. “We’ll announce you soon.”

  I nodded, inhaling deep breaths from my heart rapidly beating a mile a minute.

  “You can do this, Paige,” I muttered to myself.

  “Our next date to be auctioned is with Paige Summers, please make your way out onto the stage.”

  I made my way over to her.

  “Is everyone ready to spend some money?” she shouted into the microphone. “We’re going to start with the bachelorettes and then the bachelors and let me tell you… phew!” she fanned herself. “These participants are hot! But before we start a bidding war that I know will occur with this beauty standing beside me, let’s discuss the two rules. First and foremost, you can outbid as long as it’s within the allotted timeframe. And last but not least, the date you take your person on must be planned by you and last the entire day. Tomorrow from nine a.m. to midnight! Before they turn into a pumpkin of course,” she joked, making the audience laugh.

  The auditorium of the university was packed with students and alumni, ready to spend some cash.

  “Let’s make this a great event!

  The crowd started screaming and chanting to begin.

  “This stunning girl is Paige Summers! She’s majoring in business administration and loves the ocean. If she’s not reading a romance novel then she’s out at the beach, working on her tan! She loves anything chocolate and pizza.”

  I smiled, glancing at her.

  She winked at me. “We’ll start the bidding at fifty dollars! Do I hear fifty?”

  “Fifty!” a guy in the front yelled with his hand up in the air.

  “Do I hear a hundred?”

  “A hundred!” another guy called out.

  It went on like this for the next five minutes.

  “Do I hear a thousand?”

  “Two thousand dollars,” a man in the back declared. I didn’t recognize him.

  “I’ll do twenty-two, fifty!” another bidder hollered.

  Until the gentleman in the front offered, “Three thousand dollars!”

  Holy crap! What is he going to expect for three grand?

  My heart was beating profusely. I could feel it in my throat and at my temples. The bidding war ended with a guy offering ten thousand. I couldn’t believe someone was paying that much money for a date with me. Good thing he was handsome.

  I met him outside, near the concession stand.

  “Hi, Paige.” He extended out his hand. “I’m Eric.”

  I shook it. “Nice to meet you.”

  He had kind eyes. I didn’t mind having to spend the entire day with him tomorrow.

  “I’ll pick you up in the morning.”

  “Sounds great. Hopefully,” I nervously laughed. “I’m worth ten k.”

  “Babydoll, you’re worth a million.”

  “Cheesy, but I appreciate the compliment. I have to ask, where did you get that kind of money? I mean how old are you?”

  He smirked. “I’m twenty-one and I have to spend my parents trust fund on something other than booze. Any suggestions on what you’d like to do?”

  “Ummm…” I smiled. “I don’t care. Whatever you have planned I’m sure I’ll enjoy.”

  “I love a woman who wants a man to take charge.”

  We spoke for a couple of minutes. I desperately tried to not think about Adrian, but it was no use. There was no connection between Eric and me. My stomach didn’t flutter, my palms weren’t sweaty, nothing of what usually happened with Adrian. It was truly pathetic, the infatuation I had with him.

  Would it ever end?

  Once I walked into my dorm room, hundreds of emotions crossed through my body. I needed to give up hope that something was actually going to happen between us. Cade would forever be his brother. There was no changing that.

  I spent the rest of the day letting myself mourn the death of what could have been. By the next morning, I woke up ready to say goodbye to Adrian and hello to Eric. This was the beginning of a new life for me. One where I’d have a boyfriend even if it killed me.

  I got ready, wearing shorts, a tank top and a pair of wedges. Grabbing my backpack, I pulled out my textbooks and tossed them on the bed. I threw a bikini, a sarong and a towel in case we went to the beach there instead. It didn’t take me long to get ready. Before I knew it, there was a loud and hard knock at the door to my dorm.

  I beamed, eager to go on my date.

  Maybe this guy was my soulmate?

  Regardless, I was going to give him a chance.

  Screw Adrian.

  Thinking of my happily ever after was how I opened the door. Never expecting the man standing on the other side of it. Just when I thought I’d forgotten all about him, he showed up out of nowhere.

  “Adrian, what are you doing here?”

  He leaned against the doorframe, simply stating…

  “I’m here to take you on a date.”

  Sixteen

  Paige

  Ijerked back. “A date?”

  “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “Is this a joke?”

  “Cherry, invite me in.”

  I opened the door wider. “By all means, make yourself at home.”

  He stepped into my small space, looking huge in it. Making me hide back a giggle.

  He grinned with a mischievous gaze as if he could read my thoughts. I swallowed the saliva that had suddenly pooled in my mouth. My skin was feeling flushed all over and he wasn’t even touching me.

  The effect this man had on me knew no bounds.

  He peered around, taking in my home.

  “I thought it’d be bigger in here.”

  “Well, you are abnormally large. I’m a tiny human, I don’t need much room. It’s perfect for me.”

  By the expression on his face, I could tell he was entertained with my banter. I watched as he ventured into my kitchen which was next to my makeshift living room.

  Without asking, he made himself right at home, opening my fridge to grab a cold beer. Cade had a fake I.D. and bought his favorite booze to keep at my place. There was also a bottle of bourbon in the cabinet, compliments of him too.

  Adrian twisted the cap off and set it on my counter, not even bothering to throw it away. He took a few sips from the bottle and then made this deep exaggerated groan from deep within his chest. Normally this scenario would have turned me on. He looked good in my dorm room.

  “Since you made yourself at home, care to elaborate on this date you speak of?”

  The intensity that radiated off his demeanor had me weak in the knees and I found it hard to breathe. He slowly licked his lips with his predatory regard as he eyed me up and down.

  I should have kicked him out.

  From not only my home, but my heart and life as well.

  Except I couldn’t. Even if I wanted to. He was there. Permanent.

  Embedded in my heart.

  “Did you think I wouldn’t have found out about you auctioning yourself off to the highest bidder?”

  “Did Cade tell you? Because he was the one who insisted I enter.”

  “Cade has nothing to do with this.”

  “Oh really? Since when? Last time I checked, he’s still your brother.”

  “I didn’t find out from him if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “Okay. Who told you?”

  “My fraternity is one of the biggest donors to the event you participated in.”

  “Ugh! Of course, it would be. So what? You scared off Eric like you’ve done every guy for the last four years?”

  “No.”

  “I don’t get it then.”

  He cocked his head to the side, waiting for I don’t know what.

  “Listen,” I stressed. “I appreciate the gesture of you thinking you’re protecting me, but how much longer do you intend on keeping this going? I mean eventually, you’re going to have to call it quits. I’d like to have a boyfriend. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll introduce him to you first and you can tell me what you think about him. That way you can still be somewhat included in my decision-making on where I should take it with him. Which is kind of what you’re after, right? Staying in control of my dating life seems to be your main purpose in life.”

  “Eric isn’t interested in you, Paige. He’s a new pledge in my fraternity and it was part of his task to buy you for me.”

  “Umm, excuse me?”

  “You heard me.”

  “Right… But I don’t believe what I’m hearing. Why would you do that?”

  “Isn’t it obvious?”

  I cunningly looked around the room. “To whom?”

  “You’re cute when you play dumb.”

  “Or you’re just assuming I can read your mind? You know, I’m not a fortune teller, so how about you actually tell me what’s going on instead of insinuating that I know?”

  He arched an eyebrow in that mysterious, but also inquisitive way he’d perfected.

  “All right, I’ll play. To be blunt as fuck, Paige. I would have bid on you myself if I could’ve risked it getting back to my brother.”

  “So you what? You bought me for ten thousand dollars?”

  “Money well spent from my trust fund.” He smiled and it lit up his entire face.

  “I get it. That’s why Eric said it was his trust. He was really spending your money. Wow,” I breathed out. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “That’s a first.”

  “You’re taking this protective thing to the extreme and I don’t know how I feel about that.”

  “I know how I feel about you.” With the back of his fingers, he swept my hair behind my ear.

  My heart skipped a beat.

  It had sort of become his thing.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “How confused you make me.”

  “You say that like it’s a bad thing?”

  “Isn’t it?”

  “Depends on who you’re asking.”

  “I’m asking you.”

  He didn’t falter in replying, “You confuse me too.”

  “How?”

  “You want to have this conversation here? Where Cade could show up at any moment?”

  “We’re not doing anything wrong, right? You’re just my best friend’s brother. Nothing more. Nothing less. Weren’t those your exact words last month?”

  “Someone’s feeling feisty.”

  “I’m just repeating what you said. You kicked me out of your bed, remember?”

  “Paige…”

  “What?”

  “You’re testing me, and I don’t appreciate it.”

  “I appreciate it,” I snapped. “I’m not a toy, Adrian. You can’t play with me when it’s convenient for you and then throw me away when you’re done.”

  “Oh, so that’s just for Cade then?”

  “Cade doesn’t play with me.”

  “I guess it depends on who you’re asking.”

  “Again, I’m asking you.”

  “What I think about you and Cade is irrelevant.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it’s not going to change the fact I need to stay away from you.”

  “Says the man who bought me for ten thousand dollars. That doesn’t seem like you’re doing a good job at following your own rules.”