Page 115 of Broken Promises

“Because you’ve always been in love with him,” she states in a way that makes it seem like it’s obvious.

“I’m so in love with him. It feels like I can’t breathe.” I sob, rubbing my chest. “When he’s gone, I sleep on his side of the bed, just so I can feel the echo of him. So I can wrap myself in the smell of his cologne and dream of the whispers of his touch on my skin.” I take in a ragged breath and squeeze Belle’s hand. “I was too scared to let myself love him and as soon as I did, I hurt him.”

Belle stands and throws herself around me. “You didn’t do this to him. Patrick did. Eva did. You didn’t hurt Declan.”

“Why do I keep hurting the people I love? What’s wrong with me?” I sob into her shoulder, refusing to believe her words. “I brought him into my life. I agreed to be fake married to him, knowing there was someone out there that wanted to hurt us.”

“What do you mean? You fake married him?” Belle asks. I can feel her trying to pull away to look at me, but I just hold her tighter as I explain everything.

“It kind of sounds like your marriage was never fake, and you were just really slow at figuring that out.”

I glare at Kai as he makes his way back to the table. He shrugs at the same time Belle sighs.

“I was wondering if that was the case when he showed up on Thanksgiving, but by Christmas, it was clear how in love with him you were, and I stopped thinking about it. I just assumed I was wrong,” Belle says.

I finally pull away from her. “I understand if you’re mad at me,” I say quietly.

“I’m not mad, Willa. I’ve had months to come to terms with not being number one in your life anymore. Which I suppose is only fair.” She looks lovingly at Kai when she says that. He looksback at her like she’s the most precious thing in the world. I start to tear up again and rise from my seat. I need to be with the most precious thing in my world.

FIFTY-FIVE

declan

My head is pounding,and my throat is so dry I could probably cough up dust. I try to move to grab the water bottle I always keep on my nightstand, but my whole body protests. Everything hurts. Peeling my eyelids open turns out to be impossible. Turning my head makes something in my neck pull. I groan, feeling helpless and confused. What the fuck happened to me?

“Here, Dec. Small sips.” A straw is pushed between my lips, and I suck down the cool water gratefully. “Slow, buddy. You’re going to get sick.” I take another sip, slowly.

“Ben?” I croak, finally able to peel my eyes open and place the voice with the face.

He nods. “I need to get Willa. She’s going to be pissed I talked her into going to get a coffee.” I watch him turn, shake Sinclair’s hand, and then turn back to me with his phone in his hand.

“Glad to see you made it,” Sinclair says. “I’ll help you.” Turning to Ben, he says, “I’ll be in touch.” Then he leaves.

“What the fuck is going on?” I ask.

“What do you remember?” Ben asks, typing quickly on his phone and then turning his full attention to me.

“We won the cup,” I say, squinting at the wall behind Ben’s head like it holds the answers. “I announced my retirement.”

“Right. Do you remember what happened after you left the press room?” Ben asks.

I can’t read anything on his face to give me a hint, so I close my eyes and concentrate. Then it hits me like a truck.

“That motherfucker!” I yell, or try to. My throat is still too dry, and it comes out closer to a gravelly squeak.

“Sinclair’s security cameras caught the whole thing.”

I look at Ben. He’s looking down at his hands in his lap and fidgeting.

“What? What aren’t you telling me?”

He sighs, but he doesn’t have a chance to speak.

“Declan!” Willa sobs, running into the room and straight into my arms.

“Hi, Princess,” I say softly into her hair. Inhaling her scent settles me in a way nothing else ever has.

“You were bleeding out between my fingers,” she says, sobs shaking her body.

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