Page 70 of Frozen Flames

“But what?”

Hen bites his lower lip. “She wasn’t home when I got there.”

I shake my head. “Was it late?”

His nod breaks something in me. Why the hell should I fix things with her after everything she’s probably done behind my back?

I snort and eye my brother, who’s staring at me with a look of pity that I don’t appreciate.

“Harv…just talk to her and figure it out from there.”

So I do, despite my anger, knowing how hard and lonely it’d feel to lose Gemma. I pull my phone out and text her to come back home, begging her with apleaseat the end of my message.

“I don’t know what to do. Fixing things with Gemma means hurting Claire and vice versa.”

“One step at a time, brother.”

“I don’t know if Gemma and I can even solve anything at this point.”

He pats my shoulder. “Maybe you’re right… Maybe youcan’t, but at least try.”

I chuckle. “When did you become such a wiseass?”

He smirks. “You learn a thing or two when you drown in pussy.”

Hen’s words stay in my mind all evening until Gemma comes home. She looks completely drained of life as she removes her coat.

“Hey,” she tells me in a soft, low voice.

She’s given up on us.

It’s etched in the lines of her face, in her mannerisms. It’s written on these fucking walls around me. No matter how hard I want to, I will never get her back the same way I had her before the accident.

And that’s a truth I need to face.

Until then, though, I want to give Gemma every part of me, because she’s given me everything she has since we met.

She deserves it. I must be able to do this—to be the man she wants me to be.

I swallow, wheeling myself in front of her.

“I’m sorry. For pushing you away, for kissing Claire. I… Give me a chance.” I look away, clenching my jaw.

Some days, when the anger vanishes over the things she’s done to me, I can then see the things I’ve done to her, things that have hurt her a lot too.

She’s debating with herself, it’s obvious.

Her eyes are moving, and she’s not eagerly jumping at the chance to get back together.

“Say something…” I’m pleading with her at this point, anything to make it up to her if it means we can go back to what we used to have.

Even though I know it’s not possible, because I’ve never been the same person since.

She’s avoiding my gaze, obviously deeply troubled by something. She finally whispers her question. “Do you love her?”

It doesn’t matter what you feel. So you like Claire, so what? Gemma has been there for you.

Don’t think about Claire.

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