Page 133 of Vengeful Vows

I wish I could get ahold of Rory. Maybe he’d know what to do.

Right now, I don’t know if I should stay or go. Declan doesn’t want me here. The rest of the Burkes are shaken up by my father’s actions.

Maybe I should just cut my losses and go. I’m a daily reminder of all that is wrong and all the bad things that happen to them.

I should ask Patrick. I’m sure by now he’d just let me go.

Yes, that’s exactly what I do.

I stand up and head for the door.

When I’m halfway there, someone opens the door.

Declan is standing there, his face blank.

We stare at each other for a few beats. We haven’t talked since that last fight, and he’s the last person I expected to come and see me.

“I’m so glad Paige is okay,” I whisper.

“Jimmy’s not,” he barks.

“Declan, I had no idea that he’d go after Paige, I swear to you?—”

Declan holds up a hand to stop me. “I know that. This isn’t on you, but I have other things to say to you.”

I swallow hard, wondering if he’s here to tell me to get out. I stiffen, ready to go if he wants me to. I don’t want to stay where I’m not wanted. I don’t deserve to be here, anyway, with my filthy Murphy blood.

Declan said himself I mean nothing to him.

“I can understand why you did what you did,” he says quietly, looking down at me.

I keep eye contact even though tears well in my eyes.

“And I was wrong for some of the things I said. Hell, for a lot of the things I said.”

What is going on right now?

I just nod. I don’t know what to do. What to say.

I’ll make his life easier. If he wants me out, this is his cue. “You said I mean nothing to you.”

Declan sighs heavily, running a hand through his already messy hair. His shirt is covered in blood. Is any of it his? Is he hurt again?

I clench my fists, forcing myself to stay still, no not touch him and reassure myself he is okay, he is not hurt.

“That was maybe the biggest lie I ever told.”

What?

“Declan,” I start, but he lets out a long breath.

“Let me finish. I’m sorry for the things I said. I’m sorry for attacking you the way I did.”

Is he.... apologizing? To me?

I never thought this would happen. I thought he’d hate me forever, and part of me wants to go to him, throw myself into his arms. Part of me wants to tell him I love him, and I always will, but another part of me is still angry. Prideful. Hurt.

“And I understand if you want to leave, to go back to your father. I won’t stop you.”

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