It Kills Me (Betrayal, #1)

by Penelope Sky

“Let’s not worry about the future when we can enjoy the present.”

Sleeping with someone you worked with was always a bad idea. It would bite you in the ass at some point.

“I’ll make it worth your while in other ways…” His blue eyes were so confident, so cocky, and so beautiful. “I have a boyfriend.” His hard stare didn’t flinch. “You want another one?” “I don’t cheat.” “Then do you want a better one?”

He was a man of few words, always thinking carefully before he put his words out into the universe. He did the same thing now, rehearsing his approach before he spoke.

“You want a man who isn’t afraid to say what he thinks, even if it conflicts with your beliefs. He seems like someone who will choose the path of silence rather than conflict because it’s not worth the effort—which means he doesn’t think he, himself, is worth the effort. I understand you’re smart and independent, so you don’t need a man the way another woman might, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve one. You deserve a man who takes care of you and everything else, even though he knows you can do it yourself. Because he wants to. He opens every door. Pulls out every chair. Makes you feel like you’re the only woman in the room even when that room is full of supermodels.

“But I want you to have a man who treats you the way I treat you. Loves you the way I love you. I’ve done everything I can to prove my love for you is unconditional. I’ve sacrificed so much for you, but I’ve done that happily because you’re the single most important thing to me…and I’m pretty sure you’ve never had to question that.”

“You should never have to question him, sweetheart. When you aren’t in the room, you know his eyes aren’t where they shouldn’t be. That whenever you text him, he’ll always respond, that you’re always his top priority. You never have to wonder where he is or what he’s doing because he doesn’t lie, and he keeps his word to you. Even if he never tells you he loves you, you would know that he does. That’s what I want for you.

Forget them. You’re the most beautiful woman in this room, and you’re wounded by some kid who didn’t deserve you in the first place. Buck up.”

“You heard what I said. You think your father would ever let anyone know how much they hurt him?” He shook his head. “He’d brush it off and move on.” He snapped his fingers. “Just like that. Now, get up, get a drink, and get over it.”

think life is more than a piece of art on the wall. It’s about living in the moment, not staring at someone else’s moment.”

“I have the eloquence to maintain relationships with the elites, and I have the roughness to roll with the dogs.”

“Then let’s cut the bullshit,” he said. “I have obligations tonight. But tomorrow night, I’m coming to your place. You’re going to cook me dinner then come on my face. Any questions?”

“I never felt out of place around my friends, not having a mother. He somehow managed to be two parents at once. All I’ve ever wanted to do is make him proud because I’m so proud of him.”

Their closeness was so potent that it could be seen with the naked eye. Even when they were in different buildings across town from each other, their attachment was visible like a string. You couldn’t have one without the other.

I’d wanted her the moment I’d laid eyes on her, but I’d never imagined I would want her even more after I’d had her.

“It’s my honor to fuck you.” He grabbed my thigh and adjusted me underneath him, putting his dick at the deepest angle before he thrust into me as hard and fast as he could. “My fucking honor.”

“If people don’t fear you, they’ll cross you.” “If people like you, they won’t cross you,” I snapped. “Not everything has to be violent.

“People are humble because they want to be liked. And if you want to be liked, that means you’re insecure. I’d rather be arrogant than insecure.”

“Be careful,” I warned. “Or you’ll have a squatter.” He grinned. “As long as you’re squatting on my face, that’s fine with me.”

“They don’t make me feel beautiful. They don’t make me feel secure. They don’t make me smile.” Her eyes remained on my shoulder as she deflected my gaze. “I’ve told you to stop before, and you listened. You could have taken advantage of my sorrow that night, but you didn’t. You came to my defense when you could have just walked away. The man I know is incapable of doing such horrible things.”