Beg You to Trust Me (Lindon U #2)(102)

“You didn’t?”

“Why would I? I opened up to you in Boston. I told you what I wanted from you—what I wanted to be. So, no. I didn’t like that you iced me out. And I definitely don’t fucking like that you believe we’re doomed.”

“I don’t really think that.” Embarrassment heats my face. “It’s just my head messing with me. You’re…you. Everybody loves you. We both know what people think about me.”

“Who the fuck cares about them?”

“I know I shouldn’t but…”

He’s quiet for second. “Look, some days are going to be better than others. But what people think of you shouldn’t make you think any differently about yourself. It doesn’t make me look at you any differently.”

I blink at him in surprise.

“And the fact you look shocked makes me feel like shit about myself. I won’t lie. I haven’t judged you once. Never acted like I fed into the gossip. If anything, I liked being with you because you were nothing like what your roommate spread around.”

“So…?”

When he stares at his sandwich, it makes me antsy. “So, I don’t want to end things, Blondie. I never did. That was all in your head.”

My relief doesn’t last long.

“Now that’s out of the way, I need to ask you something. Have you talked to Aliyah recently?”

The question throws me. “Ali? No, not since before the break. Why?”

Weariness washes over me as he shakes his head. The only reason I can imagine him asking is because of the conversation we had not long ago, and that doesn’t make the tension in my shoulders go away.

When he flicks his gaze upward at me, I bite my bottom lip. “The guys told me that Wallace was brought in for questioning after a report was made, so I figured she must have gone to the campus police.”

My brows dart up. I’d passed along the suggestion to Ali, but she didn’t seem that enthused to follow through. She told me she’d think about it.

“She must have…” My voice breaks a little, so I clear it. I’ll have to text her after we’re done to ask her about it. “I don’t know if she went or not, but if what she said is true then it’s not only her that knows about the stuff he does.”

He makes a face. “True.”

“What’s going to happen to him?”

“Right now, they’re just questioning him. It’s up in the air. But keep an ear out. And if you know anything…” His words fade as he gives me a meaningful look. “Sky, when we were talking about your friend, I wasn’t just saying that she needed to make a report. If there’s anything you want to say, you should too.”

My body stills.

“Because what happened after…” His brows arch slightly. “What happened back in Boston tells me more than you have, and I’ll give you time to come to terms with whatever that is, but I hope you’ll tell me too. If it’s something you need to tell somebody else, though—”

“Stop,” I tell him in a cracked tone.

“Skylar—”

“Danny, I know you’re right. Having to think about that night is one thing. Distracting myself from it…it was addicting to me. Because the more we did, the less credit I gave to what I’d already done. I got to choose who I let in my bed. Who I let touch me. But talking about it is hard for me.”

“Dammit, Sky.” His abrupt words cause a couple of the other patrons to turn toward us in curiosity. “I know it’s hard for you. I’ll never understand on a personal level, but I’m trying. I’ve been trying. And you know what? These allegations against Wallace make this situation harder for more than just you. This isn’t about you being honest with me anymore. It’s about being honest with yourself.”

“Danny, I—”

“Before you shut me down—”

I stand, grabbing my phone. “Maybe if you stopped cutting me off you’d know I’m trying to do the exact opposite. I like you, Danny. I like you so much and I’m terrified of it. Because we keep doing this—going around in circles. Picking little fights with each other. Making assumptions that hurt us.”

He frowns but remains silent.

“What I remembered back in Boston ruined how perfect that moment was between us. All I could think about was how desperately I wanted to cling onto what we’d done, but then that night, that stupid party, had to come and wreck everything.”

His jaw ticks as he looks away.

“It’s not easy. It’s hard. Whatever is going on with Wallace is hard. Life is fucking hard, Daniel.”

“Please sit back down,” he says, voice softer than before. “I didn’t mean to upset you or act like I knew better. I’m not trying to pick a fight. And I shouldn’t have cut you off. I just want to understand so that I can help you move on. And if this is all related, then it’s a step in the right direction.”

I stare at the seat, not wanting to sit even though there are more than a few sets of eyes on me as I stand here. “Then take me to the house.”

His face twists with confusion. “What?”

“The room…” I take a deep breath. “I remember which room it was. I told you that I’d show you.”