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“Love?” Tate said with a harsh chuckle “I barely even liked him”

“Then why?” I pressed

“Forget it,” Tate murmured and tried to pull free of my hold

“Why, Tate?”

He finally turned to facemix of defiance and shame

“Because it was easy to pretend with him”

“Pretend?”

“Yeah, unlike you, I pretended all the time I pretended he was my boyfriend and that I didn’t feel cheap and used after he finished fuckingto build a life together I pretended I didn’t have to hide who I was and that for five God damn minutes, I was actually safe!”

Tate tried to tug free of rip, but I pulled hiht see us I kissed hi me back

“You don’t have to pretend anymore,” I reminded him

“Don’t I?” Tate ure out what he ain

“Was there anyone else?” I asked I had no idea why it was so important for me to suddenly know if there’d ever been someone special in Tate’s life

“No,” Tate said as he dropped his gaze “I went to a club once after Reggie ht it would be”

“What did you think it was going to be?”

“Do we have to talk about this?” Tate asked quietly

“No,” I finally said as I released hirew and I didn’t try to stop Tate when he got out of the truck He waited forinto the s