Lorenzo: Chapter 51

A current of cold air makes me shiver, and I roll to the middle of the bed, seeking Lorenzo’s warmth. Disoriented, I open my eyes and see him perched on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. Waves of pain radiate from him, and my heart drops through my stomach.

Climbing out from under the covers, I crawl across the bed to him and slide my hands over his shoulders.

“Don’t.” The way he shrugs me off and his harsh tone hit me like an arrow through my heart.

“What’s wrong?” I ask softly, terrified of his answer.

“This,” he says with a snarl. “This is all wrong.”

“Lorenzo, don’t …”

Rocketing off the bed, he spins around to face me. “Do not fucking tell me what to feel, Mia.”

I flinch at the hostility in his tone. “I wasn’t going to.”

He runs his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry. But this—us. It can’t work.”

“But it does work,” I remind him.

“But it can’t!” he yells, morphing into a man that I don’t recognize, and I flinch. “I can’t do this, Mia. I’m sorry.” His tone is softer now, his head hung low—in defeat.

Climbing off the bed, I go to him and cup his face in my hands. “You can do this. I know you’re feeling things, but just talk to me—”

“It’s no good.” He steps back and sneers. “You need to get the hell out of here. Get the hell away from me. You were right when you said you deserve more than I can offer.”

Fighting tears, I stare into his eyes that are so full of shame and sorrow. “That was before I knew you were capable of—”

He scoffs. “Capable of what? Of loving you?”

Goddamn this stubborn asshole. “Yes!” I shout back.

His mouth twists in a cruel sneer. “You think I could ever love you as much as I loved her, Mia? You will never be her. You will never be good enough. Is that how you want to live your life? Always second best?”

I recoil, no less wounded than if he’d punched me in the face. In fact, a punch to the face wouldn’t have hurt so much. Tears stream down my cheeks. I don’t think there’s any way back from what he just said.

Lorenzo knows it too. He turns around and storms out of the room, slamming the door behind him.