Page 102 of Craving Paradise
“You want me to quit my job?”
“Umm … yeah. It’s not like you need it. We can find you something else to do,” he says, dismissing my life like that.
“I’m not quitting my job.”
Jasper stills, moves away from me, and stares at me. “But I love you.”
“I made a promise to Elle that I would stay by her side until the end.”
Jasper makes a couple of faces as he tries to understand what I’m saying. “You’re choosing to continue to fuck other people even though you love me?”
“It’s my job.”
“Bullshit. You don’t need to work.” He raises his voice at me angrily.
“I do for Elle.”
“You’re choosing your friendship over love?”
“Friendship is love, too, but in a different way.”
“No. I won’t allow it. I fucking love you, Lauren. I love you. I want to create a future with you. Your friend can make money spreading her legs, but you don’t have to.”
His words are like a slap to the face.
“You just called me a whore?” As the first tear falls down my cheek, my heart begins to break.
“I called your friend one,” he bites back nastily.
“This is why I won’t give up anything for a man because in the end, they always fucking disappoint you,” I scream at him.
“I just laid my heart on the line to you, Lauren, and you fucking spat on it. You’re so scared to do anything for yourself that you would rather hide behind other people’s dreams than take a chance on your own.”
The tears fall quickly as I suck in a gasp at his words.
“I’m a loyal fucking friend.”
“It’s a shame you can’t give me the same loyalty you give her,” he says quietly. “I’m not worth the risk, am I?”
“No.”
Jasper nods his head and slips his hands in his pockets. “I wish you well then, Lauren.” And with that, he walks out of the room, the door closing behind him as I collapse on the floor in tears, knowing I’ve made the biggest mistake of my life letting him go, but I had no choice.
30
JASPER
“Itold her I loved her, and it wasn’t enough,” I tell Daniel when I return to the gala.
“Wait, what did you say?” He looks at me in confusion.
“I’m going to leave,” I say, slapping him on the back, turning and walking away before he gets a chance to answer me.
“Hey, hey, wait up,” he calls after me, following me out of the ballroom and toward my limousine. “What’s going on?” he asks.
“I told Lauren I’m in love with her. I offered her the world, and she said no. She said she was in love with me, too, but not enough to give up her job at the club.”
“You want her to give up her job?” Daniel asks.