Page 67 of Puck Blocked
“You… I love you,” she says through choked sobs. “I’m sorry.”
“No. Don’t say that to me. You have nothing to apologize for.”
“I’m sorry that I’m so broken. You deserve a better wife than what’s left of me.”
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. There is nothing that you ever have to apologize for. You are not broken, Montana. You are the picture-perfect, beautiful soul I’ve known and loved forever. You, Mrs. Jameson, are fucking amazing. I want you, all of you, the good and the bad. This, us, it’s real, Tanna. There isn’t a single bit of you that I’m not in love with.”
We sit quietly for at least thirty minutes before Montana picks up her head. Her tears have slowed and eventually stop. I bring my thumbs up and wipe the wetness from her cheeks.
“It breaks my heart that I can’t take away all of your pain,” I whisper.
Montana stares at my hands. She doesn’t say a word.
“What brought this on? Did I say something? Do something?”
She shakes her head. “I was going to ask you something… and then.” She pauses, then adds, “I’m not supposed to ask, because it’s none of my business.”
“I’m your husband, Montana. That makes everything I do your business. There isn’t anything you can’t ask me. I will always tell you.”
“You won’t get mad?”
“There isn’t enough anger I could ever feel that would make me hurt you. I will never do that to you, Tanna.” I know I’ve said it before. I also know that she believes it. Sometimes I think she needs to hear it again, though.
“Where did you go? Why do your hands look like you’ve been hitting something?” She glances at my fists before peering up at me again.
“Gray called me this morning. His brother found Andrew.”
At the mention of his name, Montana’s eyes widen.
“Except, now, we’re not so sure that guy was Andrew. We found this in his wallet.” I pull the picture out of my pocket, even though it’s the last thing I want to do. I don’t want her to ever have to see this fucker’s face again. The face of her abuser.
“There’re two of him?” she gasps.
“Did you know he was a twin?” I ask her.
“No, he told me he was an only child. That his parents died when he was a kid.”
It doesn’t surprise me that the asshole lied to her. “I want to run away. I want to take you away from here. Somewhere no one will ever be able to find us,” I admit.
“I’ve had this dream,” she tells me.
“Oh yeah? What’s in this dream?”
“You. You’re skating with a little girl, our little girl.” She smiles at me. “And then you have our son in your arms. I want that dream to become our reality, Luke. We can’t run away just because things are… hard right now. It’s going to get better.”
“I want that dream too,” I tell her.
“What happened to him? Andrew or was it his twin?”
“I… I made sure that whoever it was could never hurt you again.”
“I’m sorry you had to do that.”
“I’m not.” And I mean that. I’d do it all over again and I will. Just as soon as we find his brother. “How about we do something fun?” I say, attempting to change the subject.
“Fun? Like what?”
“I have an idea. Come on.” I push up from the bed and place Montana’s feet on the ground. Then I take her hand in mine and lead her downstairs and into the garage.
