“I never thought this would happen. This.” I stop to motion between her and me. “Has been the distraction I did not need. But every single thing I’ve done since I laid eyes on you has been to keep you safe. In the beginning, it was an act to make sure everyone else knew to keep their hands off you.” “An act,” she whispers. “Yes,” I confirm. “It was. But not anymore. You got under my skin, and what was fake turned very fucking real, Landyn. I’ve pushed you away because there was no way I was going to fuck you when you thought I was someone else, even though I know I could’ve.”
