Page 98 of Cross My Heart

“You didn’t fail me, Ty.”

“Then you failedme.”

I flinch, then nod slowly. Maybe I deserve that. There’s dried blood on his hairline, and suddenly I wonder what happened. How did it get there? What the fuck did I do to make us end up here? Is he going to leave me? Do I even have a chance at forgiveness?

“I promise you I’m going to get better,” I tell him, taking a deep breath, trying to mean it. “I don’t want to let you down.”

He grimaces, and my heart drops down to my ass. I know I already let him down. I just don’t want to face it right now. But seeing it on his face is too painful, so I look away.

There’s silence on his end, and I want to fill it, but I don’t want to make small talk or ramble. So instead, I say what I feel.

“I love you, Tyler.”More than anything in this world.“I’ve always loved you. And I will love you until the end of time. In the next lifetime, and the next one too. It’ll always be you.”

He sucks in a sharp breath. “I love you too.”

Tyler gives me a soft smile, then stands up from the chair and presses a kiss to my forehead. It heals something inside of me, and I close my eyes.

I hope he forgives me one day for breaking my promise and breaking his heart yet again.

I can only hope.

Chapter 49

SCARLETT

The clicking and typing of computers distract me momentarily, and I shake my head. I’m almost done with my shift, only a few more patients left on my list. I go through it, knowing they’re all in the ICU. Until a name catches my attention.

Noah Milner.

My stomach drops, and I click on his chart.

Twenty-nine year old male; lacerations to both wrists. Suicide attempt.

What the fuck? How fucking dare he? He takes everything away from me and he’s just going to throw it all away? As if I’m going to let that happen!

I walk to the ICU with purpose, my strides hurried. I don’t bother knocking as I take my computer on wheels into the room, just to stop short and stare. His blue eyes connect with mine, but I drop them to where his arms are both covered in bandages with blood seeping through them. There’s an IV in his neck, and there’s saline infusing into it. Antibiotics too.

I’m not sure when I started moving, but suddenly I’m at his bedside, my nostrils flaring as I try to contain my anger. He actually cowers, and I shake my head, my hands on my hips. We stare at each other for a long moment, and I wonder what he sees. Does he know that deep down I care about what happens to him, even if I’m fucking pissed? Why do I even care? He’s the man who stole my husband. The one I hate. Yet I can’t erase twenty-nine years of history between us.

I think about breaking the silence, but suddenly I don’t know what to say without tearing him apart. I don’t want to be the reason?—

“I’m sorry,” he says softly, and I frown. “For being a home-wrecker. For stealing your husband.”

I shake my head. “He was never mine to begin with.”

“He was yours in ways that counted for something,” he replies. “And I want you to know I never meant to hurt you, even though I know I did.”

“You have a funny way of apologizing, you know?” I growl. “You take everything away from me, and you’re just going to fucking kill yourself?”

“I—”

“You’re pathetic,” I spit, and he flinches. “I can’t believe you did that. You took everything, Noah, and you just gave up?”

“I know.” His voice cracks, and I narrow my eyes at him. “That was fucked up of me. I don’t know if Tyler will ever forgive me.”

“He better,” I growl, stepping even closer to him. “I left—gave you your stupid happy ending. But I’m done with both of you. I need you to be there for him because I won’t be ever again.”

Noah nods.

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