Page 87 of Commit

I frown. “What?”

“Nothing.”

With my hands on my hips, I take a deep breath, reminding myself that in a few months, I’ll be off to college and can put all this behind me.

“I was looking in his room to see if there were any signs he had come back. I’m worried about him, okay? You might not give a fuck, but I do.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t care.”

I raise my brow as he storms past.

“Fine, I don’t care. He made you cry.”

“You make me cry,” I point out, refusing to be swayed by his comment.

“I’m trying to do better.”

“It’s been a couple days since the last time, and the day’s still young.”

He runs his hands through his hair. “Look, I want this to work. I didn’t marry you as punishment, despite what you think. I want this—you and me.” He gestures between us.

“Why?”

He steps closer, tucking my hair behind my ear. “Because the moment I saw you, I knew you were meant to be mine.”

“I’m not a possession, Hudson,” I whisper.

“Why not? I am. You fucking own me.”

He presses his forehead against mine, and I let him. He seems so young in this moment, unburdened by life and all its responsibilities. I can almost picture what he must have been like back when he was my age.

“What did Kenzo mean before when he said you let me call you by your real name?”

“Most people call me Pete, but you’re not most people. I knew that from the start.”

I don’t bother asking him why he goes by another name, even though I’m curious. Something tells me I’m better off not knowing.

“Have lunch with me.”

I pull back at the random change of subject and look up at him. “I have school.”

“I’ll pick you up and drop you back off.”

I bite my lip, considering.

“Come on, it has to be better than cafeteria food.”

It’s not the food I’m thinking of. If I have lunch with Hudson, it’s with Hudson, but if I stay at school, it’ll be without Abbot there to act as my buffer.

“Okay.”

“Really?” A big smile spreads across his face, transforming him.

I’m stunned, to be honest. I’m used to the moody asshole or the sneering bastard. A smile isn’t something I see on him often, but fuck me…

Oh, dear God. Am I attracted to my husband?

As dumb as it sounds, I haven’t let myself think about his looks before because of Abbot. But with that relationship over, it’s like the blindfold has been ripped off.