Addicted (The Addicted Series, #1)(49)

I stood there for a long while, mulling Tyler's story over in my head. For all my suspicion about his being a player, his story sure sounded genuine. His tone sounded genuine. Not one word he said sounded like a lie. But then again, that’s what he was known for, a honey tongue.

"And she's the one who caused me to lose my faith in relationships to begin with,” Tyler continued. “Trust me when I say that I’d never allow her in my life again. I tell you now, I've never been hurt by much of anything, even when my parents divorced. But what she did . . .” He shook his head, his eyes haunted. "It f*cking destroyed me, probably because I’d allowed myself to grow such a huge ego that I never thought something like that would happen to me. I gave her everything . . . all of me . . . and still it wasn't enough. I know what it feels like to be cheated on, and I would never do that to you.”

It was hardly fathomable to me. What kind of girl would cheat on Tyler Locklin? He had everything. I mean, he was young, good looking, rich.

And he’s good in bed, said the voice in my head.

"So when you hear about me being a player, it was all because I was acting out my pain. I’m quite certain none of those girls ever had any inclination that I was interested in them beyond that first night. In a way, I was protecting myself. I’d put a barrier up, and I refused to let anyone get through it. That is, until you came along.”

I could tell it was difficult for him to get the words out. I'd never seen him so conflicted by his emotions before . . . and I liked it. It was nice knowing that he was capable of it.

"What about that crap about my lips when I was getting your measurements? I started out no different than any of the other girls you’ve discarded,” I demanded.

Tyler cleared his throat, feigning embarrassment. "That was just me being me. Besides, it was before I knew you." He chuckled at me, winking. "But I gotta’ say, I was absolutely right.”

"Asshole!"

“Relax, I’m just kidding. Kind of.”

I scowled. "Not funny. Not funny at all."

"Yeah it is, you just don’t want to admit." He turned serious. "Do you believe me?"

For once that voice in my mind was silent, a good sign.

"Maybe," I said coyly. "But what happened to your ex? Am I just supposed to believe she left and never came back?"

"She did come back," Tyler admitted.

I tensed up, feeling anger rise up in my throat.

"But she left when she got what she wanted," Tyler added quickly, seeing my dark scowl.

"Which was?"

"Money."

"Are you serious?" I demanded.

Tyler looked helpless. "It was a quick fix, I admit. I had enough shit going on, and I just wanted the problem to go away. She’ll probably be back, but we can cross that bridge when we get there.”

A ping of sympathy went through me, seeing the earnestness in his eyes, the pain. He really was telling the truth.

"I believe you," I said, not bothering to ask how much he’d had to pay her to go away. I suppose it really didn’t matter, and I figured the number would piss me off and we'd be back at square one.

Tyler let out an audible sigh, his expression one of relief.

"But that doesn't mean I'm just ready to start right back where we left off," I was quick to add.

It would take some time to adjust to the idea that we were back on again, especially spending the last few months hating him.

I have to make him suffer a little, I thought. I went through a lot of mental anguish during the time I was avoiding him . . . even if some of it was my fault for not giving him the time of day to explain what actually happened.

"Of course," Tyler said diplomatically. "I wouldn't expect you to be.”

Uh huh.

I glowered at how he was agreeing with anything I said. I thought I’d test him, see if he was even listening to what I was saying. “And I want five hundred thousand dollars."

Of course I wasn’t serious about the proposition. I just want to hear him disagree with me on something.

Tyler didn't blink. "You got it."

I laughed, knowing he was lying through his teeth. "Don't push it, buddy." I glanced at the clock. It was a quarter past the hour. We needed to leave, but I still had a few things I wanted to say to him.

I shook my head. "I just can't believe that you went through all this . . . just for me."

"I can," Tyler said softly. He paused, like he was pondering if he should say his next words. "I love you."

His words hit me like a gunshot to the stomach. "What?" I asked breathlessly. I must've been imagining things. I’d hoped to hear those words, but I thought they’d never come.

Tyler walked around to my side of the desk, moved Christine's chair out of the way, and turned me to face him. "I love you," he repeated in a soft, sexy growl while cupping my right cheek in his hand and gently stroking it. "I've known it for a long time now.”

Lost in the conviction of his beautiful blue eyes, I could hardly breathe. Love me? Tyler Locklin? I searched his face for deceit or some clue that he could be lying to me, but I couldn’t even find a hint of it.

He loved me. Tyler Locklin loved me.

"Don't cry," Tyler soothed, taking his thumb and wiping the tear that slid down the side of my face.