Page 34 of Bought For Us

I was a stupid confused teenage boy. I could have saved her. I could have taken her from that hell. What would our lives be if I had? Would Kimmy and I still be together, or would I have had the balls to tell both of them how I felt and the three of us could have been together.

I’m three glasses of whiskey in when Kimmy comes back. “She’s sleeping.”

“Come here.” I place my glass down and open my arms for my hurting wife.

The moment she's wrapped up in my embrace, she breaks. It wrecks me. Seeing either of them cry makes me want to do anything to make it stop.

“Shhhh.” I kiss the top of her head. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”

“Her life, Zack. All the pain she went through while we were happy and living care fucking free,” she says angrily and I hold her tighter.

“I know.” I rub her back. “I know. But we can't change the past. All we can do is make sure she never has to suffer again.”

“I don’t want her to leave, Zack. I finally have her back.” Kimmy looks up at me with sorrowful eyes.

“We won’t lose her. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Promise?”

I kiss the tip of her nose. “She’s back, Kimmy. I promise you that we won’t lose her again.” And I’m willing to do anything to keep that promise.

Chapter 12

Kimmy

I’ve hardly slept all night. I couldn’t shut my mind off. After what Cora told us last night, I’ve had this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. She was my best friend, and I did nothing.

I know friends move away all the time, it’s part of life. But our friendship was something more. She wasn’t just a best friend to me. She was the only other person I had a connection to, like the one I had with Zack.

And if I wasn’t fixated on the horrible life she lived and the things she had to do to try and make it better, I was focused on the fact that she said she wished she asked me out in high school.

What do I do with that? Because hearing that sent a flood of strong emotions I thought were left in the past.

With the way my body reacted seeing Cora, as well as the way she was dressed, I know I’m more than attracted to her. The hurt and pain that coursed through me like I wanted to burn the world down for her and hurt anyone who hurt her tells me it could lead to something so much more.

The fact is, we went there last night in hopes of finding me someone to explore with. And if something developed, something more was a possibility.

Now, as I sip my coffee, staring out at the sun dancing on the surface of the pool, all I can think about is, could Cora be that person?

Could she fall for me, if she stayed in our lives past this weekend? For Zack. Because I’m not stupid. I knew he had feelings for Cora way back when, and I saw how hurt he was not to have her in our lives anymore.

The way he’s been reacting since last night, between seeing her on the stage and letting me bid a million dollars just so we can at least have the chance to talk with her. Her heart-wrenching confession last night and the way he nearly lost his shit, tells me he still cares.

Adding a third to our relationship was meant to be for me only. Could I handle Zack being with another woman? Before, the idea had me wanting to murder this hypothetical woman. But this is Cora.

“Oh, hi.” Her soft voice sends a thrill down my spine.

I turn to see her looking adorably sleepy. “Hi.” I smile. “How did you sleep?”

“Good. Thanks.” she says, shifting on her feet. She’s still dressed in my PJ set. It looks good on her.

“Want a cup?” I ask her, holding up my mug of coffee.

“Coffee?” her eyes brighten and I nod. “Oh, please.”

Chuckling, I place my cup down and make her one. “How do you like it?”

When she doesn’t answer me, I look over my shoulder to find her chewing on her lower lip. My eyes fixate on it, my heart beating just a little bit faster.

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