Page 17 of Pretty Broken Promises

“You have to talk to him first. Until I've talked to Benji and as long as his ring is still on my finger, I'm going to consider myself engaged. It doesn't matter that I intend to end it. I will not be disloyal to him.”

I pressed my forehead against hers. “Of course you wouldn’t. I really have been unfair to you. You are the most loyal person I know, and I'm sorry I ever made it seem otherwise.”

* * *

I getBennett's phone number from Tessa. I know she's dying to listen in on the conversation, but I leave the room and step out on the front porch. This is one talk he and I need to have between the two of us.

I enter his number into my phone, and it only rings twice before he answers.

“Is everything all right with Tessa?” It's obvious he recognizes my number.

“Had my number stored in your phone, that's a little creepy,” I comment.

“I got it from her when I knew she was going back there, just in case I needed to get a hold of her and she couldn't answer hers. If there's nothing wrong, why are you calling me?”

Got to admire a guy who cuts through the bullshit and gets right down to business. “I won't waste your time, making a bunch of useless small talk, so I'll cut straight to the point. I know you were planning on asking Tessa to marry you. And I also know that you didn't do it. I think you know she still has feelings for me.”

“I do,” he admits freely.

“I want her back,” I say.

“I figured you did. Tessa is the only one who didn't believe it.”

“Well, I told her earlier tonight.”

There's a long pause on his side, and I hear him exhale into the phone. “And what did she say to you?”

“What do you think she said? She said she won't betray you. Is that a good enough reason for you to hold onto her? It wouldn't be for me. I want her back, but I want all of her, mind, body, and soul. Can you tell me you’re happy just with her loyalty and her warm affection?”

“I have a question for you. Strike that. I have two. First question, if she would be happier with me, would you let her go?” he asks me.

I don't hesitate. I wish I could say no because I don't want to let her go, but that is not what I say. “Yes, I would let her go. I would hate every minute of it, but I would let her go. For the last two years she's been in and out of my life, and it's been hell. She's been here, but not really here. But what has been worse is I've gotten to watch her become more and more miserable, knowing that a lot of that was my fault. If I could do anything to make her happy, even if it was to leave her, I would do it.”

“Okay, second question. Will you make her happy?” he asks me.

I know he isn't asking me if I'm able to. We both know that I am able to make her happy. I have not shown up to this point if I have the follow-through to actually do it. “I will spend every day of the rest of my life with no other goal, except to make her happy. What I do for a career, where we live, everything is going to be with that purpose in mind. I finally figured out what I want in life, and that is to spend it with Tessa.”

“All I want is for her to be happy. I'll call her and give her my blessing. Just know if you hurt her again I have enough money to have you killed and get away with it,” Bennett threatens me.

I hear someone chuckle behind me, and I turn around to find Sin eavesdropping on my phone call. He takes a loud bite out of an apple, before talking with his mouth full, “I like that guy. Tell him I might even do it for free.”

“I thought we were friends,” I say a little upset that, even in this pretend scenario he would kill me.

He shrugs, completely unaffected, as if we were discussing any activity not murder. “I think it's about time you had some consequences for your actions. You fucked up enough don't you think?”

I purse my lips and nod. “You know what, if I fuck up again I actually want you to kill me.”

“Who are we killing?” Lucien yells from the living room.

“Ford if he fucks up with Tessa again,” Sin shouts back.

“Tell Tessa I'll call her, and I approve of some of her new friends,” Bennett says before hanging up the phone.

“Do none of you understand the concept of a private conversation?” I ask irritably.

“What's privacy?” Lucien shouts, then laughs at his own joke.

Sin squeezes my shoulder as he goes to walk past. He seems like he's heading toward his car, probably to go get Raven from her class at the community college. “Listen, all jokes aside, you're going to get it right this time. You saw how many times I fucked everything up with Raven. And somehow she gave me another chance. Now look at us.”

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