Page 83 of If Tomorrow Never Comes

There is so much more I want to say to her. But I don’t want to ruin this moment. For once, it feels like we are just a normal couple, racing down the parkway, listening to music and enjoying the feel of our bodies pressed together.

No obligations to anyone.

No distractions.

Just us.

Forty minutes later,I’m pulling over into the drop off lane at JFK.

It’s packed. New Year’s Eve being one of the busiest days to travel.

Lovers and family members embrace and kiss goodbye all around us. Madison notices too, her mood shifting from peace to indecisiveness. I’ll use that to my advantage.I have to.

“Thank you.” She smiles up at me, handing me the helmet. I rest it on the seat and remove my own, placing it down next to hers. Leaning against the bike, I run a hand through my hair, smoothing it out. Madison takes off her heated jacket and hands it back to me.

“Keep it.” I push her hand back.

“I don’t want to deal with having to check it or carry it around.” She folds the jacket and drapes it over the back of the bike.

Shaking manicured fingers pull the zipper higher on her black hoodie. She adjusts her crossbody purse and double checks for her ID and credit cards. I make a mental note to add a few thousand dollars into her account. I’m sure she won’t be using Diego’s money. Already refusing to use his jet. She bites her lip, driving me fucking mad. A deep crease forms between her brows as she stares down at her leather boots. Avoiding eye contact with me, she rubs her hands together and blows into them. I can’t take another second of this.

I use the knuckle of my index finger to lift her chin.There’s my beautiful girl.“You sure this is what you want?”

Tears form on her lower lash line and cascade over. She bolts forward, wrapping her arms around me and burying her face into my chest. I hold her tightly against my body, her own shaking with emotion.

“This is what I want,” she whispers, her voice cracking. All that confidence she sported earlier is gone.

I am about to tell her she could always just stay—but then it really hits me. She deserves this chance at a normal life. I’d be a selfish prick to beg her to stay.For me. For us.

“Okay, baby.” I lay my head on top of hers and we just stay there. Cars and taxis honk, trying to get us to make room for more drop offs, but I don’t give a flying fuck. The president could show up in his motorcade and Istillwouldn’t move from this damn spot.

With my woman.

The other half of my soul.

She will always be that to me. No one will ever be able to fill the space that she holds.

Flurries fall from the sky and land on our faces. Madison looks up and releases a small giggle.It’s fucking adorable.It lasts a few seconds before being replaced with gloom.

“I am going to tell you the same thing I told Diego.” My body stills, knowing this is it.

The moment all the curtains Madison once opened to my soul become permanently shut.

“Don’t call. Don’t follow me, Liam. No gifts, no letters. No tracking me. A clean break.”

She just ripped my fucking heart out and is holding it in her hands. I look around to see if anyone else is bearing witness to this.

Nope. Abso-fucking-lutely-NOT.Just more couples kissing and crying.Lovely.

“At least give me peace of mind that you got there safely. Whereverthereis. A text will do.”

Leaning up onto her tiptoes she places a kiss to my trembling lips.

“Goodbye, Liam.”

Her voice cracks on my name but she doesn’t falter. Turning on her heel, she clutches her purse close to her and walks through the automatic doors of the terminal.

And out of my life.

---