Page 23 of Redemption

Edward was perfect on paper, but I couldn’t see a future with him. And I’d ignored that fact for far too long.

“Look,” he said in a calmer tone. “We lead busy lives. There’s a cost. But if you’d move in with me…” He trailed off, perhaps hopeful that I’d finally say yes.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m not sure it would change anything.”

“Of course it would.” He was growing agitated. It wasn’t the first time we’d had this conversation. “We’d get to go to bed together,” he said in a suggestive tone. “Wake up together. Share meals.”

It wasn’t enough. And I was frustrated that he didn’t understand. That he didn’t even recognize there was a problem. That he thought we could solve everything by moving in together.

“You’re not listening to me. You never listen to me.” I straightened, feeling a sense of rightness settle into me. “We want different things.”

“What are you saying?” he asked, hesitancy creeping into his tone for the first time.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, knowing there was no coming back from this. “I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”

“What? Sloan, where is this coming from?”

I didn’t even know what to say to that, but I soon found myself launching into a list of reasons. When he didn’t try to brush aside my concerns, he disputed each and every one until I was worn down and exhausted. This was what he did. How he handled a disagreement. But I wasn’t going to be deterred.

Finally, he said, “You’re being hasty.”

“I’m not. I’ve given this a lot of thought.”

“Right. Which is why you decided to spring it on me the night before you leave for two months and become practically unreachable?”

I sighed. “I tried to talk to you about it sooner.”

“When?” he asked.

“Several times.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “You were always too busy.”

“Maybe you didn’t try hard enough.”

“You know what, Edward?” I gritted my teeth. “I’m done. Done arguing with you. Done with this relationship.”

“Come on, Sloan.” His tone was softer now, almost pleading. “Don’t do this. Don’t throw away what we have. Can’t we just…can’t we discuss this more later? When you’re back from your trip.”

I understood that he was upset and maybe felt blindsided, but postponing this conversation would merely be dragging out the inevitable.

Inevitable, I scoffed. That was the exact word Jackson had used when he’d broken up with me all those years ago. I pushed thoughts of Jackson aside.

“I’m not sure what more there is to say.” I only wished we could’ve had this conversation in person instead of over the phone, even if it wouldn’t have changed anything.

He scoffed. “Fine.” Then he hung up the phone without saying goodbye.

I felt bad for hurting Edward, but I set my phone down, filled with an overwhelming sense of peace. For the first time in a while, I felt as if I was making the right decision. The decision that rang true to me.

CHAPTER SIX

The jet engine hummed, providing sound to the otherwise silent flight. I glanced over at Sloan, her face screwed up in concentration as she stared at her laptop. The light from the screen illuminated her features—those plump lips and determined eyes. And I couldn’t seem to tear my gaze away from her, despite telling myself numerous times that it was completely inappropriate.

She’d been working almost nonstop since we’d boarded our flight to Miami. Part of me wondered if it was an avoidance tactic. If Sloan had decided to ignore our past and pretend I was her executive protection agent and nothing more. Or if she really was just that busy.

Considering she was the senior vice president of operations for a global luxury hotel brand, it was likely she truly was that busy. Yet somehow, it still surprised me. I didn’t know why. She’d always been diligent, driven, and determined. But in the past, she’d also known how to relax and have fun.

She’d been good at getting me to let go and have fun too.

I kept having to remind myself that she wasn’t the same girl I’d once known. That what little I knew of Sloan’s life for the past fourteen years had come from snippets my sister had mentioned in passing or things I’d read in Sloan’s file. I didn’t know her anymore, not really.

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