NovelGoldChapter 78
Love Me, Too
| turn on my heels to look at the tree.
Half of it is decorated, and the rest of the ornaments lie in the box. | stare until my eyes burn. It would be
beautiful. It would be whimsical, but all | see is the mess I've created.
Aiden's furious face flashes in my mind. Fuck, what was | doing? I'm not a cheater, | can't be. That's terrible. No
one deserves that kind of betrayal. | should have ended things with him the moment | felt something for Zaid.
But even that thought doesn't sit right in my chest. Being with Zaid and not Aiden feels
wrong.
| shake my head, pressing a hand to my chest as a wave of emotion drowns me.
Does that mean | have to leave them both?
Pain lances through me.
| would have to move out. Find a job, get an apartment.
Tears prick the back of my eyes.
Zaid's dark, piercing eyes cto mind then, and my knees give out. | sink to the floor, the weight of everything
crashing down on me.
Tears blur my vision, and before | know it, I'm sobbing uncontrollably. It all comes at once. The guilt, the
confusion, the heartbreak.
My chest feels tight, like | can't breathe.
| think of Aiden's hurt, Zaid's intensity, and my own traitorous feelings. I think of Jake, his warmth and
steadiness, and how I've tangled myself in this impossible knot.
How can | live without them?
And at the stime, how can | live with them?
| cry into my hands, letting my love for the three of them express out ofin long sobs.
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Love Me, Too
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And then there's the ache of Alex's absence, and the hollow void where my dad should be
this Christmas.
It's all too much.
| shouldn't be putting up a tree without them. I shouldn't be smiling and laughing and moving on. | don't deserve
to live, not without them.
| press my fists against my eyes, trying to stifle the sobs, but they rip through me, anyway. My breathing
becomes shallow and erratic, and | hear the sound of the front door
opening.
Panic jolts through me. Who could it be?
| scramble to pull myself together, wiping my face hastily and curling into myself, but my trembling hands give
| look at the entrance, hoping whoever walks in will miss the girl in a ball on the floor. But it's Jakes who walks in
and my heart wants to break all over again.
It wants to crack in two so he can pieceback together in his arms.
His eyes fall on the tree first. The way his brows furrow and his lips part in silent awe makes my heart squeeze.
But then his gaze shifts, and he sees me.
His suitcase hits the floor with a thud as he rushes to me.
"Alina," he says, his voice soft but urgent.
All | can manage is a sob.
He kneels beside me, his hands cupping my tear-streaked face. "What's wrong, baby?
What happened?"
| shake my head, unable to form words. The tears just keep coming.
Jake pullsinto his arms without hesitation, holdingtightly as | wrap my
arms around his neck and let my face fall into his chest.
His hand strokes my hair, his touch soothing, grounding me.
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3.15 pm
Love Me, Too
"Hey, it's okay," he whispers, his lips brushing against the top of my head. "I'm here. It's okay, baby."
I don't know how long we stay like that, but eventually, Jake shifts. He grabs my legs and wraps them around his
waist. He stands as if | weigh nothing and | keep my face buried in
his neck.
He carriesupstairs to his room.
When we reach his bed, he sits down, settlingon his lap and wrapping his arms around me. His warmth
surrounds me, his steady heartbeat lullinginto a comforting
quiet.
He cups my cheeks and tilts my face to look at him. His fingers brush away my tears. "Are you okay?"
| nod, pressing my lips together.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
My breath catches in my throat. Do | want to talk to him about how I'm in love with
him
and his two sons? No.
| shake my head.
He frowns. "Do you wantto make you stea?"
| smile at that. "That would be perfect."
He kissessoftly, a chaste press to my lips, and he settleson his bed before heading
downstairs.
| sit there, letting myself catch my breath and kind of feel a little embarrassed at
my meltdown. Maybe it's not all as terrible as it feels. Maybe there's still a light at the end of
this deep, dark tunnel.
Jakes comes back with a steaming cup of tea and sets it on the bedside table. "Let it cool a
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little."
| nod, bringing my knees up so | can wrap my arms around them. "You cback
home
early."
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Love Me, Too
He sits on the side of the bed and shrugs as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "I
wanted to see you."
My brows crease and | want to cry all over again. My chest sours and | shake my head. "Why?"
His eyes search mine and he scoots closer, his arm wrapping around my waist and drawinginto him until our
chests are touching and our foreheads are pressed together. "You know why, baby."
| shake my head. "No."
He kisses my cheek, and then the corner of my lip before he kissesdeeply. His tongue enters my mouth in
slow and languid movements and before | know it, he's on top ofand settling himself between my legs.
The memories from before crash intoand | push on his chest. "Jake. I-| can't."
He lifts his head, those eyes of his tellinghow much it pains him to stop.
"I'm your son's girlfriend."
He frowns at that and his jaw twitches. "Does it makean asshole to say that |
don't
care?"
| scoff. "I-I'm not breaking up with him for you."
He shakes his head. "I'm not asking you to."
"What?" | frown, my chest heaving as | try to pull away, but he keepspinned
beneath the weight of his body.
"I'm just asking you to love me, too."
My eyes widen, and a gasp escapes me.
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