Love and Lies

Layla Campbell • four years after her boyfriend dies she's left to raise her three year old by herself. Her job allows her to provide everything necessary they may need, but she won't allow herself one thing: love, which goes against the promise she made.

Lorenzo Romanoff • struggling with finding his reason to keep going and stop drinking. The day he meets his brothers lawyer and her little boy that changes. He finds his reason to resist temptation.

•••

"I don't want you to leave me." His fingers stop brushing my hair when my confession leaves my lips.

"I don't want to leave you, but I have to. I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry." I grip his hospital gown and let out my silent cries as my body shakes. His arms tightens around me trying to comfort me, he knows nothing can. He's dying, and nothing is going to stop that.

•••

"I do that a lot, you can't fool me." He says in a softer tone.

I clear my throat and look away, the way he's looking at me's making me feel like he can read me as clear as a book, "Do what?"

He gets closer to me making my eyes flicker to him, "You don't have to pretend Layla."

For some reason it feels though as if I should whisper, "Who said I was pretending?"

"Your smile," he murmurs, his eyes drop to my lips making a frown settle on his face. "It's so beautiful when you smile," his finger runs along my bottom lip, "but this one? Darling, this one is fake."