Page 21 of Endless Love: Novella

“With all of me. It’s just that… I want to make sure you trust me with you, and I’m afraid you won’t anymore. You see… there was an accident years ago. A bar fight, or it would’ve been if the other guy had managed to land a punch. He fell. It resulted in a traumatic brain injury. I was locked up in a juvenile facility for a year because of it. My record was cleared once I had the resources to get it done.”

“Oh.” That was all she said. It was more of a heavy breath than a word.

Now that I had started, I couldn’t stop. “I was charged because I lunged at him, but I never touched him. He was drunk. He lost his balance. He could’ve died,” I admitted. “But he didn’t. And as soon as I started making money, I took his care in my hands. I’ve paid for every cent of it since. The best money can buy.”

“But whoever spreads this story isn’t going to mention that part. Only that you supposedly almost killed somebody?”

“That’s it. I’ve been waiting for it,” I confessed. “Spencer has been running interference. He knows this guy, or at least knows of him. He’s seen what he’s capable of. Frankly, I’m stunned the story didn’t come out this weekend to coincide with the wedding.”

When too many heartbeats passed without a response, I gripped her hand tighter. “Please, I need you to understand. I wasn’t trying to hide this as much as I was keeping it to myself out of shame. I would’ve told you eventually. It’s the one thing I’m most ashamed of.”

“You said you didn’t touch him.”

“And I didn’t. I never had the chance. But if I hadn’t tried to start shit with him because of the chip on my shoulder, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. He was everything I wasn’t, wrapped up in a single person. Posh, surrounded by friends, confident, well-dressed. He symbolized everything I had missed out on. You know the way my mind worked back then.”

“I know,” she murmured, her thumb stroking mine. That one tiny gesture gave me hope. She wouldn’t touch me that way if she didn’t love me.

“He would be living a normal life now if I hadn’t decided to provoke him. No amount of money can make up for what he lost because of my stupidity.”

“You’ve done everything you could to make it right. And I know you’re sorry for it because I know your heart. I wouldn’t marry you if you were some heartless, cruel person. I love you.”

“Still?”

“Miles, nothing is going to change that. So get that out of your head here and now. I’m not going anywhere except down that aisle the way we planned.”

“You know, things could get messy in the press.”

“I don’t care about that beyond your stress. I know the truth. I know who you are.”

“You thought you knew who I was before I told you this. Maybe you don’t know me all that well.”

“I know why you did what you did. For all the reasons you described. I know what you went through. So no, it doesn’t surprise me to hear you tried to pick a fight with some rich kid in a bar when you were a teenager.”

Her voice softened, and her grip on my hand tightened as she continued, “It also doesn’t surprise me that you would pour money into his care. No, you can’t undo the past, but you’ve done everything you could to make it right. That’s exactly the kind of man I know you are. So I’m not surprised, and I’m not changing my mind about going through with this wedding if that’s what you’re most worried about.”

“I won’t pretend it’s not a concern,” I admitted.

“You have nothing to worry about. We’re getting married today,” she insisted. “And I’m going to be by your side no matter what happens. Got it?”

My chest was about to burst. I should’ve told her from the beginning. When would I learn to trust her? “I love you.” The words didn’t begin to cover the depth of my feelings. My gratitude.

“You’d damn well better because everybody’s out there waiting for us.” She gave my hand one more squeeze, giggling.“Now, I’m going to go hide by the back door while you go out through the front. Okay?”

“Okay.” Before she could run away, I pressed my lips to the back of her hand. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. Just get your ass outside.” Then she was gone, leaving me smiling in relief. A massive weight had left my shoulders. It was enough to make me wonder how I had functioned before now, weighed down the way I was. There would still be trouble in the press—I wasn’t naïve enough to think Lucian and Ivy could clean everything up all at once—but I had Aria’s love.

I wasted no time getting outside and rounding the house. Evan visibly relaxed when he spotted me from where he stood in front of the platform. When I reached him, he whispered, “Do me a favor and don’t ever fuck with me like that again. I kid you not when I say my life flashed before my eyes.”

“It won’t happen again,” I promised. Before I could express my apologies, the quartet began to play, and two hundred people turned in their seats to watch the girls walk down the aisle.

First came the matter of the flower girls. It sounded like Evan was having trouble breathing when Isabel began toddling our way, one hand wrapped around the handle of a small basket while Eloise held the other side. They wore matching dresses, white with full skirts, and both tossed rose petals in virtually all directions while guests chuckled and took videos.

“Daddy!’ Isabel was only a few feet away when she abandoned the basket and came running, arms outstretched, her soft brown curls bouncing. Evan bent down to hug her when Evelyn lured her away to sit with Lourde and Barrett.

The bridesmaids came next, wearing dresses in a shade of dusty rose. I had heard Aria mention the color more times than I could count while we were going over the wedding plans. Ivy was first, followed by Rose. Sienna was Maid of Honor, and Icouldn’t help but notice the meaningful looks that she and Noah exchanged as she drew closer. They were probably imagining themselves as the bride and groom someday soon.

The music shifted, signaling the guests to stand for the brides. This was it. I couldn’t have imagined loving Aria more, but she had proven me wrong by hearing the most shameful memory of my life and loving me anyway. Now, I was about to marry her.

---