Page 114 of Left in the Dark

I pull away, my back to him, feeling like a damn fool. His deception badly wounds my ego. It covers the layers of pain from the past.

Taking in a couple of deep breaths, when I’m semi-composed again, I whirl around. He stands there with blood on his face, arms, and clothing. Dark circles line his pale, drawn face. Yet, he’s still the most attractive man I’ve ever seen.

The years have certainly been kind to him.

Jealousy wells up inside me when I think of him with other women. The way he touched, licked, and fucked me is evidence he’s been with others. Probably more than I’d ever want to know.

“I understand why you were so hurt when I left you. But I risked everything, including my mom’s life and mine, when I went to your mobile home. You wouldn’t hear me out.” I blink back another wave of tears, refusing to cry.

“The bathroom at the lake threw me for a loop. I hoped it was going to lead to us reconciling. I planned to tell you everything I didn’t get to say when you refused to listen to me. But you ran out on me.”

He opens his mouth, but I hold up my hand. He promptly shuts it, crossing his arms over his chest, remaining silent.

But I don’t have time to marvel that I made Zayne speechless. The secrets between us need to come to light. No more hiding in the dark.

“You were the reason I stayed. I was disappointed by my mom’s behavior. My brother and Tim assaulted me the night of the bonfire. My father made them take me inside the house, where the four of them beat me unconscious.”

A muscle ticks in his jaw. His eyes darken, full of rage as he glowers. I know his anger isn’t directed at me.

“My dad took my cell phone. Callie was the one who bought me the burner phone I used to text you after I snuck out of the house and ran to hers. I wanted to visit you, but you were too far away, and we weren’t speaking. Anyway, she stood by me and convinced me I needed out of the situation. She told me of an opportunity to live and work in Cape May. I hesitated because of you, but after you left me in the bathroom at the lake, I had no reason to stay.”

His jaw ticks again, and he shifts his weight but doesn’t interrupt.

“While Callie said goodbye to Mark, I realized I needed closure. I drove to your dad’s bar…” A small smile curls my lips momentarily. “Probably not my best idea since I hadn’t driven in a while.”

My words coax a small smile from him, which gives me the courage to tell him the worst part of our story that’s haunted me for fifteen years.

“I parked Callie’s car near the pine trees and was walking across the parking lot. I was running through scenarios in my head of what I’d say if I saw you and what I’d do if you weren’t there. I didn’t even pay attention to whether or not your truck was there; that’s how distracted I was.” I exhale a shaky breath as the onslaught of memories crashes over me.

Be strong. You can do this.

“I was grabbed and dragged around to the side of the bar by my father. He beat the hell out of me, leaving me injured on the ground. Had someone not pulled up on a motorcycle and scared him off….” My lip quivers, and the tears break loose, unbidden.

“Jesus, Delaney.” Zayne’s so close to me that I feel the heat radiating from his larger body. He’s blurry through the tears that won’t stop falling. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

I collapse in his arms, sobs shaking my body. He squeezes me against him, rubbing my back and murmuring for me to let it out.

As I break, I cling tighter to him. He’s always been my life raft in the storm. And it hurt so fucking much to need him so badly and walk into the bar to find he’d moved on with someone else.

I thought we had something special. Something that would last forever.

But it turns out we weren’t destined to be together.

Secrets, abuse, and misunderstandings broke us apart like two people swept away in a sea during a massive storm.

But fate has brought us back together.

After all this time, I find it hard to trust it.Can we work through everything between us, or is this a cruel joke the universe is playing?

I turn my head, my nose running, mixing with my tears on his shirt. Now that his identity has been revealed, I can no longer deny I’ve always loved Zayne.

I hope this isn’t a cruel twist of fate. I’m not sure I’ll survive losing him again.

CHAPTER 74

Delaney

Once I’m all cried out, I step back, trying to pull myself together.

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