Page 130 of Wild Tangled Hearts

He smiles a glint of excitement in his eyes. "There's a cottage in the mountains near Bearclaw Lake. It's quiet, secluded, and the perfect place for us to escape from everything for a weekend. Come with me.”

The idea of escaping to a tranquil cottage, far removed from the chaos of our lives, stirs a sense of longing in my heart. I can feel the weight of our past and the uncertainty of our future, and I realize that maybe, just maybe, a weekend away is what we need to reaffirm our love and rebuild our spirits.

Reader’s Choice:

What should Bella do next?

Go with Damien to the cottage for the weekend. Turn to this page.

Accept the invitation to go to the cottage, but first, he has to meet the parents. Turn to this page. Turn to this page.

Chapter59

Damien

UNCERTAIN GROUND

Ican still feel the lingering warmth of Damien's lips on mine as he hovers beside me, his eyes locked on me, searching for a sign of what I’ll choose.

The kiss we just shared was a spark, a reminder of the passion that once bound us together, but it also brought forth a whirlwind of emotions I'm not sure I'm ready to confront.

"God, Bella," he growls softly, his fingers still tangled in my hair. "You have no idea how much I missed you."

His words hang in the air, heavy with meaning, and my heart aches at the raw honesty in his voice. I know he's sincere and regrets his past actions, but trust is fragile, easily shattered, and slow to mend.

I sit back, creating a little space between us, and look down at my trembling fingers that clutch the silver chain. "I need you to understand something. I want to believe you. I do. But it's not that simple."

"I know I hurt you, and I can't take that back. But I'll do anything to make it right."

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I struggle to find the words. "I need time, Damien. Time to heal, time to rebuild the trust that was shattered when you walked away."

His eyes never leave mine, and there's a vulnerability in his gaze that tugs at my heart. "I'll wait, Bella. I'll wait as long as it takes."

As much as I want to give in to the allure of what could be, there's a part of me that's still hesitant, still scarred from past wounds. "I appreciate that, I do. But there are things we need to talk about, things we need to work through."

He nods again, his jaw tight with determination. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Just tell me what you need."

Silence hangs between us for a moment, the weight of our shared history and the uncertainty of our future pressing down on us.

"I need us to take things slow," I say, finally meeting his eyes again. "To rebuild our connection from the ground up, to rediscover each other, and to learn to trust again."

"I can do that, Bella. Whatever you need.”

As we sit there, wrapped in each other's arms, I can't help but feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we can find our way back to each other, stronger and more resilient than before.

And maybe I’m fooling myself.

He brushes this thumb across my cheek. "There's a cottage in the mountains near Bearclaw Lake. It's quiet, secluded, and the perfect place for us to escape from everything for a weekend. Let me take you there.

The idea of escaping to a tranquil cottage, far removed from the chaos of our lives, stirs a sense of longing in my heart. I can feel the weight of our past and the uncertainty of our future, and I realize that maybe, just maybe, a weekend away is what we need to reaffirm our love and rebuild our spirits.

Reader’s Choice:

What should Bella do next?

Accept the necklace from Damien and go to the cottage together. Turn to this page.

Take things slow and go on more dates with Damien. Turn to this page.

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