Page 41 of Dagger

I studied her determined expression and how she tilted her chin proudly.

Anyone who didn’t know her would assume she meant every word. But I saw beyond the ice queen she portrayed. I’d always been able to read my girl; I knew her heart better than I knew my own.

I reached out and caught her pinkie finger with mine. The contact caused a slight tingle, and I dipped my chin until my face was inches from hers.

“Do you feel it?” I breathed.

Her cheeks flushed.

She felt it.

“Walked away from you once, Leesy,” I said, voice husky with emotion. “Regretted it every day since. You think I’ve led a charmed life, and maybe, compared to you, I have, but don’t think for one minute I haven’t felt your loss every day of it. Loved a lotta people over the years, includin’ Adele, but I swear on my life, Duchess, I’ve only ever beenin lovewith you.”

Tugging the collar of my tee to one side, I gently pulled out the gold chain hanging around my neck, slowly revealing the old, worn arrowhead attached.

Her gaze fell on the piece of flint, and her jaw dropped.

“Never taken it off,” I murmured. “You think I forgot, baby, but I carried you next to my heart for thirty years, and it’ll still be there when my kids put me in the ground. I get I’ve lost your trust, but I’m determined to prove I’m worthy of you. So, like I said, I walked away from you once, but I don’t care how long it takes or how long you need to punish me, I’ll never walk away again.”

Her stare, still glued to the arrowhead, flicked up to meet mine.

I watched Elise open her mouth to reply, hoping to every God in existence she’d give me a second chance and that, just for once in our fucked-up lives, it could come easy for us.

Should’ve known better.

“I have to go,” she said huskily.

My eyes narrowed. “Huh?”

“Coffee,” she stated. “We need it.” She whirled around, gave me her back, then rushed down the corridor.

I watched her leave with my heart in my mouth and a realization hitting me like a sledgehammer.

Getting my Leesy back wouldn’t be easy. She only knew the boy who’d let her down. I had to show her the man I’d become, prove I was worth the risk.

It would take time and hard work, but like I always told my boys.

Nothing worth having ever came easy.

Chapter Eight

Elise

The following morning, all the women congregated in the club’s gym.

I was exhausted but happy for Layla and Bowie, but I was also confused and a little pissed with John.

He had a nerve to think we could pick up where we left off after everything that had happened. I loved him, and I always would, but at the same time, I was over it, and I had been for years.

Loving John Stone didn’t give him an automatic pass.

Watching the love of my life have a family with another woman shattered something inside me. It was like I said. I knew the way we imploded was neither of our faults. Still, I couldn’t help but feel resentment because he’d given somebody else everything he’d promised me.

Maybe it was irrational to feel that way; Robert manipulated John as much as he did me, but I couldn’t help being pissed about it.

Admittedly, when I saw the arrowhead, a tiny part of me yearned to forgive, forget, and move on. But after years of thinking John didn’t care, it wasn’t easy to reprogram everythingI thought I knew. At best, it would take time; at worst, I wouldn’t succeed at all, and that was something we both had to navigate.

I wanted to be friends and get to a place where we could spend time together without me fantasizing about punching him, but it would take time. I’d worn a mask for years, smiling, nodding, and playing nice. I could continue, if only to keep the peace.

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