Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Idon’t want to,” she said.
But that wasn’t a no.
Part of Max didn’t believe this could be happening. Lana couldn’t be leaving him like this.
But the other part of Max? Not fucking surprised one bit.
You always knew it would happen. Just maybe not so soon. One day as her boyfriend. That’s all you lasted.
But he wasn’t going down that easy. He had to defend himself, if only so she’d understand where he was coming from.
“I know you’re angry with me…”
“I told you I can’t discuss this right now.”
“And I told you I was sorry. I still am. But how many times can I say it? That man hurt you. He went after you and got off on your fear. Yes, I lost my temper. But only because it killed me to know what he’d done to you.”
Lana didn’t look up. “You lost your temper,” she repeated. “Because you wanted to protect me.”
“Yes. I reacted impulsively. I wish I could take it back because I’ve caused so many problems for you. But Wayfair deserved it. Isn’t he the one who should get most of your anger?”
She walked back and forth across her bedroom, hands on her hips, the muscle in her jaw clenching. Like she was fighting to keep back a torrent of words.
In her eyes, he saw the moment that the dam broke.
Then she opened her mouth.
“Your problem is not impulse control. That’s bullshit.
You have impeccable control over your impulses.
That stupid ‘rule of three’ is proof. Your company and your accomplishments are proof.
It’s your ego you can’t control, Max. You claim that you wanted to protect me, but that tantrum in court was all about you. ”
He threw his arms out to his sides. “I’m an arrogant asshole. That’s true. But you already knew that. I have never once hidden who I am from you.”
Stop talking. You are making this worse.
Lana’s stare was unyielding. “So, you do think this is my fault.”
You see? So much worse.
“No. I’m not blaming you at all. I just don’t want you to blame me.” Not for everything. He was the one getting punished, not Wayfair.
She tipped her head back and laughed. “You’ve never wanted anyone to blame you.
That’s why you make sure every woman has low expectations of you from the start.
‘I can’t be your boyfriend.’ ‘I’m shitty at relationships.
’ Just so you can say, ‘I told you so’ later.
Well, you’re right Max. You did tell me.
Over and over. I guess I should have listened. ”
She threw clothes into the bag, then stalked into the other room, where she’d set up her office. Papers and files got dumped into a box.
No. No, no, no.
“Lana, talk to me. Don’t leave like this.”
“I’m so tired of talking.”
“I love you.”
She froze.
This wasn’t the way he’d wanted to say it. But this was all he had. The one single hope he had left.
A tear escaped from her eye, streaking down her cheek. “You wait until now to tell me? Like just saying those words means everything else gets erased?”
“It’s all I’ve got. You’re all I’ve got.”
He had Aurora, but she didn’t really need him. And everything else—this apartment, this building and his other investments, Bennett Security—none of that made him feel whole the way Lana did.
“I love you,” he said again. “I’ve loved you for a while. I wish I’d been brave enough to say it before.”
She took a stuttering breath. “I love you too, Max. I’ve loved you for ten fucking years.
I think some part of me has always been waiting for you.
Never giving my heart to anyone else, always hoping.
I was desperate for you to want me back, and the minute you did, I pushed all my other responsibilities to the side.
I’m trying to figure out how to deal with the consequences.
At this moment, what I feel is confused. ”
The tears kept falling as she boxed up her makeshift office and carried it out to the living room. Lana grabbed her suitcase and wheeled it to the door.
“Just please don’t go, L. Please.”
“I can’t think right now. I need space. I need...” She shook her head. “Something. Just not you.”
Of all the things Lana had ever said to him, that had to be the worst.