Page 129 of The Breaking Point

“You have to know—the only woman I love is you. It’s always been you, Grace. I know you’re angry with me, and I won’t tell you that you should forgive me—”

I scooted closer and pressed a finger over his mouth. “There’s nothing to forgive. I realized that I was taking out my feelings about Ben dying on you. I was mad that you hadn’t been honest,yes. But my mom told me that it was all because of my dad interfering.”

Brady closed his eyes. “So you know everything.”

“I do. And you know what? It doesn’t change how much I want to be with you.”

Brady pressed his forehead to mine, and we breathed each other in. “I hoped you’d say that to me, but I never thought it’d happen,” he murmured.

“I’m so sorry for everything I said to you that night in your apartment. The guilt has ate away at me.”

“About those damn keys ...” Brady moved so he could look into my eyes. “I should never have given them to your brother. It was a stupid, split-second decision. I’d seen him drinking a beer earlier, but I assumed that he was sober enough to drive. I thought he’d never drink and drive and put himself in danger, or anyone else. I’ve lived with the guilt of that mistake. It haunts me.”

I could see that in his eyes. I hated that for him, that he’d had this terrible burden on his shoulders for so long.

“I think Ben would want us to let go of the past,” I said. “Can’t you see him rolling his eyes and telling us to stop moping around?”

That made Brady chuckle. “He’d definitely tell me to stop being a ‘bitch baby,’ as he’d like to say when my hockey playing sucked.”

“My brother was so motivational.” I chuckled, then sobered. “I also get why you listened to my dad. I can’t keep wishing you hadn’t because if I’m being honest, I would’ve done the same thing.”

“I was so afraid of losing all of you.” Brady looked away. “I’d already lost Ben. If you and your mom knew the truth, your dad was sure that you’d never speak to me again. I couldn’t bear that.Especially you. I could’ve lived with that guilt for the rest of my life if it meant I could still be in your life.”

“Well, I know you didn’t ask for it, but I do forgive you. I love you. It’s always been you. You’re the only man I’ll ever love.”

I then took a deep breath. “I also want you to know that you’re enough. You don’t have to be some amazing hockey player to prove that you’re worthy of love. I know you’ve been through a lot, especially with your mom. I know you felt like you didn’t belong with us, but you do. I think I knew that the day you first arrived at our house.”

Tears filled Brady’s eyes. “Shit. I don’t know what to say. I wish I could believe you.”

“I hope someday you will believe it. Until then, I’ll just keep saying the words and showing you how much I love you.”

He hugged me close, and I could feel him shaking. I rubbed his back as I waited for the multitude of emotions to move through his body.

He finally pulled away and wiped his eyes. “Jesus. I didn’t even realize I wanted to hear somebody say something like that. All my life, nobody wanted me. I was always a burden, another mouth to feed. My mom couldn’t even stop drinking long enough to bring me home. I wanted to be a part of your family so badly, but it scared the shit out of me, too.”

He looked away. “Then Ben died, and I thought,This is it. This is the end. I’ll lose the Dallases, too. Just like I’d been kicked out of every other foster family I’d been in. So, yeah, I did whatever your dad wanted me to. I’m not proud of that, though. I should’ve been stronger.”

“It doesn’t matter. All of that is in the past.” I cupped his cheek. “We’re here, together. And I’m not letting you go, Brady Carmichael.”

Brady groaned. He pulled me into his arms, and it felt like I was finally coming home. He kissed me; I clung to him like he was a lifeboat amid a storm.

“I love you so damn much,” he said between kisses. “Not talking to you for a whole damn month was too fucking long. It almost killed me.”

“I thought about you every day.” I grinned. “And every time I masturbated, of course.”

He growled. “Don’t tempt me or I’m going to fuck you right here in your parents’ house.”

“They’re not coming back for a while.” I grabbed his shirt and then led him to the large leather chair. “And if you don’t fuck me right now, I’m going to lose my damn mind.”

Brady didn’t need to be told twice. He kissed me as he ran his hands down my spine. He stripped me out of my shirt and bra in record time. When he palmed my breasts, I gasped. It’d been so long since he’d touched me that it felt like the first time all over again.

“I thought about you all the time, too,” he admitted. “I loved to think about you playing with your sweet pussy when I jerked off. But then I’d always end up feeling worse afterward because I couldn’t really touch you.”

“I felt the same way. Sometimes it felt better not to touch myself, but then I’d always give in.”

He kissed me, the stubble rough against my face. I rubbed a hand across his cheek. “This is new,” I said with a laugh.

“I haven’t felt much like shaving. Or getting a haircut. Or really living, because I didn’t have you around.”

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