“Oz.” I reach up, placing my hands on his chest. “It’s not the same. You know that, right?” I can tell by the look in his eyes he doesn’t believe that.
“I told myself I’d never be like him. I’d never hurt the people I love. I’d be better. I’d give my mom a better life than he ever did, then I’d make him regret ever making her cry even one of those tears, and that’s what I did. I took my trust fund and poured my life into making sure he never hurt anyone again.” His mouth turns up at one corner, like he’s remembering. “Then you walked into my world.”
He reaches out, tucking a piece of stray hair behind my ear.
“Revenge wasn’t the only thing I wanted anymore. For the first time I felt like I’d come alive watching you. But you were so young, so I told myself I’d stay away. I found out who you were, and then I wanted to make sure you’d get into a good school. Then I wanted to learn more and more about you. The more I found out, the deeper I kept falling into you. It was one thing after another. I kept sliding down this hill. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Every time I’d go to a dark place, I’d think of you and it always pulled me back. That’s when I knew I couldn’t let you go, because you were the only thing that really shone light in my life. You were a part of me that wasn’t fueled by revenge, so I told myself it was okay. That I’d be good for you. That I wouldn’t be like my father. I’d give you everything and build a perfect life for you. That I would be the one for you when the time was right. That I’d never make you cry.”
His words rain down on me, and I try to take it all in.
“You paid someone to be my friend,” I remind him.
“I’m not saying what I did wasn’t a little much, but I was going insane worrying about you. Without knowing someone was watching you, I don’t think I could have stayed away from you for as long as I did. I would have cracked, I know it. Paige kept me sane. At least then I knew you were okay. She was making sure nothing could hurt you at a time when I wasn’t there to do it myself.”
“No one is trying to hurt me,” I try to tell him, but he doesn’t really hear me.
“Mallory.” He says my name with so much emotion it makes my heart clench. I don’t think anyone has ever said it with so much tender need. “I know I’m a little crazy when it comes to you. Trust me. I know I’m not great with reason, but I can’t control it. I’ve tried. I’ve fucking tried, but it is what it is.”
“What if I don’t like it?” I ask, shifting under him. His eyes roam over me as he moves in a little more.
“I think you don’t want to like it, but a part deep inside of you does, or you wouldn’t be here right now.”
I let his words sink in because I can’t think of an argument against it. I do like his overbearing, controlling ways, although my head thinks I shouldn’t. It makes me feel important to someone. Maybe I’m a little bit crazy, too, wanting and liking that kind of attention. Attention I’ve never had from anyone. The only person other than Oz to give a shit about me is Paige.
“I like parts of it, but, Oz, you can’t control everything. I have to have a little of my own life. Like my job. You’ll stay out of that, right?”
A smile spreads across his face, but I point my finger at him.
“I know I’ve gotten where I am today because of you.”
“That’s not true,” he interrupts. “You’re incredibly smart and would have gotten into any school in the country. I wanted to make sure your path led to me.”
Part of what he’s saying might be true, but I wouldn’t have gotten a full ride to Yale or gotten a job at Osbourne Corp without him. Osbourne Corp didn’t even have internships before last year. I have a suspicion that program was created for me.
“That said, you’re still going to let me do my job and stay out of it,” I tell him, holding firm on this.
“I have to have a guard on you, sweetheart. When word gets out we’re together, that puts a target on your back, and not just for my father, who knows I’m after him. I’m worth a lot of money, and if people know I have a weak spot, they’ll go after it.”
“I’m your weak spot?” I’m not sure how I feel about that. Should I be offended?
“You’re my everything,” he says simply, making me smile.
“It’s hard to be mad at you when you say the sweetest stuff to me.”
“It’s better to give in, baby. I won’t stop coming for you until you do.”