LUKE

Courtney sighed and stepped between us, placing a palm on my chest. I wanted to rip it off, but I was too slow. She spun around and looked at Jess with a smirk. "Luke and I slept together."

All I could focus on was Jess-her wide, shocked eyes, her lips parted in disbelief, the raw hurt that spread across her face. I felt like the ground had crumbled beneath me.

"Jess..." I started, stepping past Courtney, but she pulled back even more, her gaze darting between Courtney and me, piecing together a story I hadn't wanted her to hear like this. Not like this anyway.

"Explain what, Luke?" Jess's voice was soft and quiet, but it cut through everything. She looked at me, eyes searching, pleading. I could see the battle in her mind-the part of her that wanted to believe me, and the part that was already shattered. My throat tightened. I wanted to punch a hole through the wall, scream, and do something to fix this. But the damage was done.

Josh stood there, looking like he regretted ever opening his mouth, but none of that mattered now, I clenched my jaw, swallowing down the bile rising in my throat as I tried to focus on Jess. Only her. PART 2-CHAPTER 133

288 Vouchers

"Jess, let me explain," I said, my voice quieter now, desperate to find a way to salvage this. "Not here. Not like this. Let's go back. to my place, and I'll tell you everything. I promise I'll explain it all."

She blinked, staring at me like she couldn't even recognize me. And why would she? She didn't deserve this. She deserved. honesty, and instead, a fucking mistake came out like this, in the middle of a fucking nightclub.

"For the love of-" I started, but Courtney leaned in further, positioning herself between Jess and me as if she hadn't already detonated the bomb.

smug and dripping with satisfaction. She

pushing Courtney back, putting distance between us. I glared at her, anger boiling up

explanation. She turned away, her hand going to her mouth as she struggled to process what had

somewhere we can talk. I'll explain everything," I pleaded,

head,

""When?" she asked.

24.52%

2201

PART 2 CHAPTER 133

17.288 (Vouchers

just give me a chance to explain-" I pleaded, keeping my voice low as I pulled her into the shadowed corner of the club, away from the crowd. "It was a mistake. A stupid, one-time mistake. We weren't together then. I

won, partied, and some of the girls from the other school came. I was angry and frustrated because you and I... we weren't talking.

seemed to process everything I said. "We weren't together... okay. But was it before or after

it any easier. I pinched the bridge of my nose, but I needed to

after," I admitted, my heart pounding in my chest. Jess's face crumpled, and she stared at me. Her tears spilled over, and when I reached out to wipe them away, my thumb barely grazed her skin before she flinched away. She was crying.

the edge she was standing on. "I was drunk, I was stupid, and I was angry because I couldn't have you. I couldn't touch you. But I love you. Only you. It was one time, and it didn't mean anything. It's a But she wasn't hearing me. Jess was backing away,

52.19%

22.01

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255