Page 108 of What I Should Have Known

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I failed,” I cried into her as she squeezedme tighter.

“Benjamin Phillips, how dare you think that leaving me was the best way to keep me safe. You didn’t break your promise. Wyatt is the one to blame. The man that shot Duncan is the one to blame,” she sternly replied.

I twisted her shirt into my fingers as I threw my arms around her waist. With my eyes closed, I swallowed my ego I’d fought with and became putty in her embrace.

“It should’ve been me, Kat. Both with Duncan and with you,” I whispered against her body.

“How fucking dare you think that. The bullet only grazed my arm, that’s it. And why would you think that it should’ve been you and not Duncan? It shouldn’t have been Duncan, or anyone on your team.”

“But why?”

Her chest expanded as her chin plopped against my head.

“But why?” I asked again.

Her jaw swiped back and forth on the top of my hair. “I don’t know, Bernie. I wish I had some answer that would make all of your pain go away. But I don’t. What I do know is Duncan wouldn’t want you or anyone else on the team thinking that.”

Anger roared through the grief. “How the fuck do you know that? You don’t know him. You’ll never know him.”

Regret immediately swarmed my soul as the words left my lips.

Instead of the berating I deserved, Kat placed a gentle kiss against the top of my head. “I know I don’t know him. I wish I’d been able to meet him, but I do know he wouldn’t want this because of you.”

I furrowed my brows and pulled my face away from her chest. Beautiful big blue eyes looked down at me, and pouty lips pulled into a gentle smile.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Her hands slipped to my cheeks. “Why would Duncan want you to be anyone but the man he got to call brother? He was your friend, teammate, someone who you loved and someone who loved you. When you love someone, all you want is what’s best for them. Honor his memory by being the man he knows you are and can be.”

Releasing my death grip on her shirt, I leaned away from her and let my palms rest on her voluptuous hips. “I thought I was the older one in this relationship,” I teased quietly through a silent tear.

Her tender smile widened. “This is your one hall pass to be immature.”

Muffin chattered in my lap, rising from her curled state, and Kat’s eyes brightened. “Hi, Muffin,” she said, her attention pulled away from me.

She reached down and scratched the cat’s ears, running a hand over her back. A heavy thump of my heart in my chest sent an understanding through my body, and I tipped my head.

“Why’d you come for me? Why not make me suffer for at least a week? I know I shouldn’t have left, I just…” I inhaled deeply, realizing all justifications no longer held any weight.

She giggled gently, continuing to give Muffin the attention my cat deserved. “I should’ve let you sit with your stupid ass decision for a few more days, huh?”

“Yeah, you should’ve.”

Her eyes lifted to mine, and she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I made you a promise.”

I pulled my gaze down to the hardwood floor, ignoring the dust coating my black leather boots tucked beneath my black jeans. “But I broke mine.”

She clicked her tongue. “Bottle Cap, you didn’t. I’m safe because of you. Wyatt is in jail and will be going to prison for attempted murder for a long time. Plus, maybe with some drug charges too.”

Exhaling, I pursed my lips. “Your dad is gonna think I pulled some cheap shot to get in with you.”

Her giggle tugged my gaze back up to hers. “Bernie, if there’s one thing I learned about you, is that you never take the easy or cheap route. I don’t think you even realize you do it, but you tend to make things harder for yourself. I doubt it’ll be any different when you face my dad.”

I shook my head and glanced at the glass I hadn’t touched resting on the bar. “Does this mean I still have a shot with you? Even after I kinda ran away.”

“If you fucking do that again, I’ll find you again, but instead of being so forgiving and understanding, I’ll take that emasculator to you. Hell, maybe I’ll just use a pocketknife to chop your nuts off. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied with a grin and looked back at her. “Thank you for coming for me,” I added with a whisper.

---