Page 93 of Only Ever You

Tears prick my eyes. “I don’t know if that’s enough.”

“No, it’s not. I’ll do whatever it takes for your forgiveness. I’m such a fool.”

I sniff as the hot tears spill down my cheeks. “You humiliated me. You left. You … is it cheating if you screw around after jilting the woman you c-c-claim to love?”

He shakes his head and wraps his hand around mine. “There was no one else. I know it looked bad, but I swear—it’s only been you since you came back into my life. Please, let me explain.”

My head pounds, and I push myself to my feet, pulling my hand from his. “I can’t do this.”

He nods slowly. “Okay, but I’m not going anywhere.”

“What’s the point?”

Deacon drops his arm. “The point is that I love you and I hurt you. You never deserved it. I’m fighting for us, Pippa.”

“There is no us.”

I storm off in the direction of my house with heavy footsteps falling behind me. When I reach the base of the steps, a gentle tug on my arm has me turning back toward him.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me today, but I do want you to know how sorry I am. My mum …” He closes his eyes and huffs out a breath. “I thought you’d betrayed me—betrayed my trust. And I was so wrong, baby. Everything’s been so wrong since that day, and you’re the only thing that makes any sense. I let her cloud my judgment and hurt you in the process.”

For a moment, I just stare at him. I’ve got no idea what happened, but the pain radiates off him in waves.

“Please send my regards to Adeline.” I wrench my arm from his grasp and run the rest of the way back to the house before slamming the door shut behind me.

Falling to the floor, I sob.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Deacon

The tears in Pippa’s eyes are like death by a thousand paper cuts.

I know they’re not the first she’s shed over me, and even though I never want to make her cry again, I doubt they’ll be the last while we work through this.

Adeline?

Anger burns through me. I told her what would happen if she hurt Pippa. How the hell do I make Pippa believe nothing happened?

I pull out my phone and stalk back toward my rental house. Dialling Garrett, I fume while the other end rings out.

“Hi, this is Garrett. I’m sorry I can’t take your call …”

“Hey, it’s me. I need your help. Call me back.”

I pace the expansive living room while I wait. Pippa looked how I feel. She’s lost weight, enough that those curves of hers that I love have started to fade.

I’m guilty of doing that to her.

That haunted look in her eyes is all my fault.

Anger ripples through me. It wasn’t enough that I broke my girl’s heart—I trampled on it. And unbeknownst to me, Adeline of all people helped.

Now to deliver on my promise.

By the time my phone buzzes, I am full of rage.

“What?” I snap without looking to see who it is.

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