Page 30 of Black Bird

“Yeah?” Brent pulled out his phone and skimmed through something before turning it around and tossing it before her on the bed. Sarah raised it, finding several photos snapped of her riding off with Detective Kane on his motorcycle. “Tell me whatthatsuggests, Sarah.”

“So, he took me home. And? What’s strange about a police officer escorting a witness that might be in danger after she was almost fucking killed?” She tossed his phone back, nearly hitting him with it. She tried to tell herself that it wasn’t on purpose.

“It wouldn’t be strange, except where I come from … a police escort usually involves a squad car, not my fiancé’s arms wrapped around some tatted-up punk with an unmarked bike.”

“That punk? Is the only reason I’m aware of what was really going on in that hospital, Brent. He and the other spicy detective that you seemed to be so taken with. You’ll have to excuse me for accepting a ride out of that place from someone with a badge … my fiancé wasn’t around to make sure I was somewhere safe.”

“Where was Wren?!”

Sarah shot up from the edge of the bed and stormed toward him. “Wren was with me! I called her after I found this!” She reached for her own phone then, swiping open the photo of his father standing at her crime scene. “Try to explain your way out of this one. Idareyou.” Brent stared down at it, zooming in and taking the phone from her. For the life of her, she wished that she could say that he didn’t look surprised … but he did. It would have made ripping this bandage off a lot easier.

“I didn’t know about this. I swear it.” His voice was low … almost angry. Ashamed, even. When he looked up and met her eyes, she could tell he was telling the truth.

“Stay the night with me,” Sarah said, taking her phone from his hand. He drew his brows.

“I thought Wren was—”

“Stay the night with me.”

“Why don’t you come home with me? You can stay as long as—”

Sarah silenced him, pointing a finger toward him. “That. Right there, Brent. That’s why I want you to leave.”

“Because I’m uncomfortable staying in this tiny apartment?”

“To be an educated lawyer, you’re really fucking thick. It’s because even if we were standing in some shack that was ready to collapse over us, you should be comfortable being with the person you chose to be yourwife.The person that you love.” He stilled and dropped his mouth slightly open when she slid off his engagement ring. “Everything changed when you gave me this. You never tell me that you love me. You didn’t even say it the night you proposed.”

“Sarah … I—” His throat bobbed, and she handed it to him. “Why are you doing this?”

“Why areyoudoing this?” She wished she could cry. Nothing came. Nothing except relief. “Ever since you put this ring on my hand … you’ve been different. All the nights that we spent actually talking about something other than work, or school … any of the times we really had an honest laugh? They disappeared. You used to tell me I was your escape from reality. Then you asked me to marry you, and the world found out about it … and now that’s all I am.” She felt better with every word that left her mouth. Like a chisel breaking her out of an encasement of stone.

“That’s not true.” His pride was hurt, but she swore a small piece of him was relieved, too. This was never meant to be.

“Isn’t it? Tell me the truth, Brent. I know that you’re a politician’s son. But tell me the honest to God’s truth. Why did you ask me to marry you? Can you honestly say that it’s because I’m the love of your life?” He didn’t answer. Sarah slowly nodded her head. “I thought not.”

“Why’d you say yes?” He shoved the ring into his pocket.

“Honest answer? I enjoyed what we had. I saw the real Brent Stratford. I knew who he was, and I didn’t want to lose him. If I’d said no, you might have walked out. I wasn’t ready for that. Had I known that it would be … this? Whatever we are now? I would have been honest with you. I’m not ready to get married, Brent. So, for once, if you can’t be honest with me … then be honest with yourself. You don’t want it either, do you?”

He sighed deeply and stared at the floor. “No … no, I don’t.” Sarah reached up and braced his shoulder and he raised his face back to hers.

“You deserve to be happy, too. Truly happy. So do I. I don’t know what I want, yet. I almost lost my life. I won’t spend another minute of it wondering about the what-ifs. I do care about you … but I’m not a nice decorative piece you get to flaunt for your family’s name. And Brent, you shouldn’t have to feel like you have to do it. So, don’t … go live. That’s what I plan to do.”

“You plan to do that with him?”

“I don’t know him. I told you once … I didn’t come to Boston to find my happily ever after with Prince Charming.”

“Why did you come?”

“You know why … I came so I could go to school. I’ve got a case of my own that I’m trying to solve. Now Iamone. If I’m being honest, Idon’t see how it’s fair to either one of us to worry and fuss over something that maybe shouldn’t even have been a thing in the first damn place.”

They were both quiet for several minutes before he finally spoke. “I feel like I should be a lot more upset about this than I am.”

“That’s because you know it’s the truth.” Sarah smirked.

“I’m sorry, Sarah. I never meant—I really care a lot about you.”

“I care about you, too. My feelings for you aren’t gone … they’re just different. I don’t hate you. But I think you and I both know that this doesn’t feel like forever.”

---