Page 10 of If You Fight

Laying my head on his shoulder, I tried to find the words that would convince him not to give up. “I know it’s hard now. It’s always been hard for us. We made it through my father sending me away. We made it through me trying to kill myself. We’ve made it through him forcing me to marry someone else. We can make it through this too.”

Ryder turned his head to look out the window and in a voice full of pain said, “Between your father and Oliver, they’ve taken everything away from us. What do we have left but stolen moments like this as I drive you places? How can this be enough?”

“Because it has to be. I love you. If this is all I can have of you right now, then I’ll take it. It’s not perfect, but it’s never been for us.”

He remained silent for a long time before he turned to look at me. Pressing a soft kiss onto my lips, he whispered against them, “I’m sorry that I couldn’t be there this week.”

I kissed him as the tears rolled down my cheeks. “I know you needed me too. It won’t always be like this. Please, don’t give up yet.”

Ryder cradled my face in his hands, and as I reveled in the feel of his strength, he pressed his forehead to mine. “What are we going to do?”

I may not have known the answer to many of his questions, but I knew the answer to that one. It was the only answer available to us.

“We’re not going to give up. No matter what they do to us, we can’t give up. That dream can come true. We just have to fight for it.”

As he took me in his arms and held me, he whispered, “God, I hope so. It’s all that keeps me going some days.”

I knew just how he felt.

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