Page 27 of One Weekend in Sydney

I grin, feeling a sense of pride at her words. “Well, I’m not like most guys. And you, Juliet, deserve to be treated like a queen.”

She lets out a soft sigh, her body sagging against mine. “Somewhere out there is a lucky woman who will capture your heart.”

It’s you, babe. It’s you. And I’ll do anything to make you forgive me.

But I can’t tell her that right now. The timing is not right, so I force out a laugh instead. “I don’t know about that. Despite what you just experienced, I’m not perfect,” I say jokingly.

“Ha ha. Seriously, though. I really think you’re a very nice, decent person.”

I let out a sigh. “There are things in my past that I wish I could take back.”

“Really? Maybe you can tell me,” she says softly.

“Why?”

“Because it might make you feel better. Remember that we don’t really know each other. There’s freedom—and perhaps, relief—in anonymity.”

Her words hit me hard, and I shut my eyes as I gather my thoughts. Then, with my heart pounding in my chest, I start my confession—a partial one.

“When I was a teenager, I unknowingly got involved with a gang—the kind that wouldn’t let you out once they were able to snare you in. Still, I tried getting out, so I was punished. They…” I take a deep breath, not knowing how to relay this information without giving away too much. “They not only hurt me but also the people I loved the most.”

Tara gasps. “I’m so sorry.”

I tighten my arms around her. “I couldn’t fix things because if I tried, the gang promised worse things against my loved ones. So, I had to keep my distance from them to keep them safe. That was my biggest punishment. The gang knew how much moving away from them destroyed me.”

Tara places a kiss on my chest. “Are they still around? The gang, I mean.”

“They were eventually caught.”

“And were you able to see your loved ones again?”

I inhale sharply. “Eventually, yes. Only by accident. Anyway, I think that’s the end of the story for now.”

“Okay.” Tara places a comforting palm on my cheek. “I’m so sorry that happened to you and your loved ones. And I’m sorry I pressured you to share. I hope it didn’t dampen your spirits. I was hoping for the opposite effect.”

Ah, she’s still the kindest person I know. “Well, terrible as that event was, it had a silver lining,” I say to lighten the mood.

“That’s good,” she says encouragingly. “What was it?”

“One of my loved ones became even more popular because of that event. Everyone learned of what happened, and they showered her with support. I was very pleased about that. As for me…in a way, it saved me from being stuck in the gang’s web. I hated that I had to move away from my loved ones, but had I stayed, it would have been impossible to get out of the gang’s clutches. Things would probably have gotten much worse for my loved ones before the thugs got arrested. Hell, I probably would have been arrested as one of their members. I would have joined them in prison.”

“And here you are,” Tara says softly.

“Yes, here I am,” I murmur. “So, as much as I hated everything that happened, I had to acknowledge the silver lining. I would have been a lost cause ages ago if a friend hadn’t helped me see things from a different angle.”

“I think that’s a happy ending for your story,” she said with a smile in her voice.

“Yeah.”

Fuck, I’m so tempted to tell Tara the whole truth. Considering her current reaction, maybe she might forgive me. This might be the best timing I can ever have to ask for her forgiveness.

But…

She wanted to have a one-night stand with a stranger. She asked for darkness and anonymity. I can’t ruin this weekend for her. I don’t want her to feel betrayed by me again.

I’m going to have to wait. I don’t know when, I don’t know how, but I have to hold on to some hope that I’ll eventually find the perfect moment to apologise.

ChapterTen

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