Page 133 of Redeeming Heart

“I kept trying to figure out why she hated me so much and it became clear to me when she dared me to kiss Brandon. He told me…” I paused when my conversation with Brandon from a few moments ago played back in my mind.

“Sash? Are you okay?” Jaylin asked showing concern.

My eyes found Corbin and Travis standing among us. I didn’t even see them showing up or joining us.

“He tried to tell me that he loves me, but because I have to be stubborn and hot-head he decided against it.”

Camille arched an eyebrow. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

I shrugged. “I don’t think there is anything left to do.”

I broke our bond the moment I falsely accused him of things he didn’t even do. He made me promise that he will come back to me and I was the one who broke the code for being insecure.

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

I grunted at the strain in my shoulder when I lowered the weights back on the shelf when I was approached by a worried-looking Jake and Jared.

They stopped talking in hushed tones when they reached me and I had enough of them tip-toeing around me. They acted as if I was ready to explode any minute.

“What?” I growled at them standing up and rolling my shoulder to release the tension.

“We are just worried,” Jared clarified watching me with eyes that were filled with pity.

“Afraid that I am going to kill myself?”

Jake raised his shoulders. “You have been mopping around for weeks now and you barely celebrated our victory with us.”

I didn’t feel in the mood when I immediately tried to call Sasha, but as I suspected she saw the whole thing on tv and she cut me off without giving me time to explain.

“Do you blame me?” I wiped away the sweat from my brow.

“Not to be insensitive, but she’s just one girl,” Jake noted.

Sasha wasn’t just one chick—she isthegirl, but he wouldn’t understand.

“I don’t expect you to understand,” I grumbled out in frustration.

“Why because I stopped trying after Stacey? Or does it have to do with assuming again that I am unable to move on from her or get over the fact that she cheated on me when I planned to get engaged?”

“I don’t know if you remember—you were the one who told me that Stacey is only one girl and the right girl is out there for me. I didn’t believe you because I wanted Stacey to be the girl.”

“Are you asking me to give up?” Maybe that wasn’t a bad idea.

Sasha is a stubborn girl and I knew right from the beginning it was going to be a challenge. Every time I think we are making progress we are right back where we started.

“You can’t force her to love you. You are trying to do what Ashley is trying to do.” Jake remarked.

I shook my head because I couldn’t even consider giving up. “We were so damn close,” I muttered.

“She was ready to wait for me to get back so that we can talk things through, but then Ashley just had to do that.” I plumped down on the bench beside Jake letting my shoulders fall.

“If she truly cares about you and knows you as well as you explained then she should have known Ashley was behind it all of it,” Jake noted.

“Sasha is still in doubt. All of this is still new to her and who blames her insecurities? The world is already all screwed up with people cheating on each other—married or not.”

“Okay!” Jared exclaimed quite loudly and clapped his hands to get our attention.

“From when do either of you give up?” He asked showing his disappointment.

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