The Deepest End of Love (The Brightest Light #3)

by Lisina Coney

To everyone who struggles with self-doubt. You deserve all the happiness and success you dream of. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise—not even yourself.

my discomfort levels, and I hate myself for it. This is my boyfriend.

He’s so ridiculously tall, I have a clear vision of that chiseled, stubbled jaw and hard eyes that— Crap. Our eyes lock again, making time stop around me.

Listening to and taking notes are the only things that should tie me to Reed Abner. The only things that will.

Too bad my life has other plans.

“Because my heart filled with this intense, bright light. And I knew I didn’t want to live another day without him by my side.”

😭❤⭐

“Relax. He probably just finished early,” I mutter to myself to no avail, because my fingers still shake as I type out another text to him.

My whole body starts trembling at the fact that Oliver is lying for no apparent reason. He’s hiding something. Why else would he lie?

Anger seeps into my veins—at him for being a liar and a cheater and at myself for being a stubborn idiot. I don’t move until the girl drives away and he gets back inside the building, and only after I’ve taken some deep breaths and calmed myself down do I leave my car.

My keys jiggle between my shaky fingers as I take the elevator to the third floor, unsure of how I want to face him after I just caught him shoving his tongue down someone else’s throat.

Because I’ve already wasted two years on him, and I’m not wasting another second. “Babe?” Oliver’s confused voice reaches me as I unlock the door. “I thought you were at the library.”

“Hey, you there?” Oliver frowns when I say nothing. “What are you doing here? I thought—” “Did you do a lot of studying today?”

“Um, yeah. Why?” “Because you lied to me. Your car was here when you said you were at Kev’s.”

“Fine, yeah. I didn’t go to Kev’s dorm. Whatever. I went to Jared’s place to play some video games instead, and I just got back. I didn’t tell you because you know I’m falling behind in some of my classes. I didn’t want you to be upset with me. Sorry I lied, babe.”

“Was it Jared you cheated on me with, too, or did I imagine you kissing that girl five minutes ago?”

“Lila—” “I saw you kissing her, Oliver.”

“Don’t even try to deny it. We’re done.”

“How long has this been going on?” “I don’t know, Lila. A month? I don’t fucking know.”

“Logan is downstairs. We’ll keep talking about this when I get back from the gym. Okay, babe?” “Don’t call me babe. Are you seriously walking out of this conversation right now?” “We’ll fix this.”

“What’s wrong?” “Oliver, are you fucking kidding me?”

“You kissed someone else, probably did other things, too, since you brought her to our apartment. I’m breaking

up with you! And while we’re at it, forget about living here any longer since I’m paying for this apartment all on my own.” That makes him frown. “I live here. You can’t kick me out.” “I’m paying rent for both of us,”

“You don’t even pay the bills. You said you would after finding a job, but I don’t see you looking for one. I’m tired of your laziness and stupid excuses. What makes you think I’m going to let you stay here for free?”

“Fuck this,” he half shouts, yanking at the back of his hair. “I had physical needs that you weren’t meeting, that’s all. It was a onetime thing.”

“So what? It’s my fault that you cheated because I didn’t want to sleep with you whenever you wanted?” “I didn’t say it was your fault.” “Yes, you did.” “How so?”

“You just said you had to get in someone else’s pants because you had physical needs I wasn’t meeting,” I

“That implies that if I had wanted to sleep with you as many times as you wanted, you wouldn’t have felt the need to see someone else behind my back. You know what that’s called, Oliver? Being a piece of shit.”

“Nice attempt at making me feel bad for wanting a career more than I’ve ever wanted you.” I can’t hide the way my whole body starts shaking, but I don’t care anymore. “Fuck this,” he spits out, rooting me into place. He’s never spoken to me like this. “And you wonder why I cheated?”

Oh he'll no

His toothbrush ends up in the toilet because why not.

And I cut the cord of his phone charger in half with a pair of scissors because fuck him.

grab a kitchen knife from the last box I put in my car and stab it through his right tire. It deflates immediately. “Fuck you,” I mutter under my breath, shaking with a brutal sense of helplessness before a single tear rolls down my cheek. Oh my God, what have I done?

I don’t hear the car stopping in front of my apartment complex until it’s too late.

Did I mention I’m still holding the kitchen knife in my hand while standing next to Oliver’s ruined tire? Reed Abner, professor at Warlington University and my parents’ good friend, looks me up and down. Goddammit. “Get in my car, Lila.”

“You’re telling me I didn’t just see you stab a knife through that tire.” Her throat works a swallow. “Nope. Must be an illusion.”

“Good to know you don’t vandalize cars on the regular.”

“You know what’s funny? I’m actually on my way to join a work call with your mom to edit her next book.” Her glare only intensifies. “I didn’t take you for a snitch, Dr. Abner.”

It doesn’t surprise me that she’s hesitant to get in the car with me. What does surprise me is that I’m the one getting out of my car, the fabric of my shirt clinging to my skin as the rain falls over me. “What are you doing?”

“I want to talk to you.”

“I may or may not have hidden raw fish in his underwear drawer and thrown his toothbrush in the toilet. He doesn’t pay

me back on rent, so technically, it counts as payback. Right? It’s not a crime.” “The tire thing might be, though.”

Wait. Does this make me a criminal

“What you did could be considered vandalism, but you’re hardly a criminal.

“And here I thought you were going to send me straight to the police station.”

twelve years younger than me and my friends’ daughter.

“Everything okay, little sunshine?”

😭😭😭❤

“If it isn’t my favorite criminal.”

“Glad to know I’m at the top of your very long list of criminal acquaintances,” I retort.

“Wouldn’t give the number one spot to anyone else.”

“He blamed me for it.”

“He said he had needs and that I didn’t…didn’t always help him with those.”