Page 6 of Fight for Me
I walk through the field, passing the tree-mansion Connor has built Hadley. Seriously, that kid doesn’t have him wrapped around her finger, she has him wrapped around her whole hand. It’s cute though, and it’s made me wonder if I’m being silly by letting my dating life fall to the wayside.
I’ve given up on love. There’s been guys, but nothing that has had any true meaning. All because the fear of having my heart broken has been stronger than the desire to love again. Declan didn’t break my heart though—no, he stole it from my chest.
I trudge up the steps, holding onto the anger and resentment he put in my heart all those years ago, and open the door.
As soon as I turn, he’s there.
“Syd.”
“Asshole,” I reply and cross my arms.
He runs his hands through his thick hair, pushing it away from his face, and then looks down. “I deserve that.”
“We have something we agree upon then.”
He looks at me from under those thick lashes, which no man should possess, and grins. “You look good.”
So do you.
No, no, Syd. He does not look good. He looks like the devil who broke your heart and never looked back.
I have to remember all that. If I don’t, I might not be able to ignore that he still makes my heart sputter or that I have never felt more secure in another’s arms—not that I’ve spent eight-fucking-years trying to find a man even half as perfect as Declan Arrowood. More than that, though, is that I have to keep some distance between us so he won’t get the wrong idea and start thinking that there’s a snowball’s chance in hell of a reconciliation.
Screw me once, shame on him. Screw me twice, I’m a fool who needs to be punched.
“I’m sure we also agree that we don’t really need to do this. We have six months to get through, and then we can go back to pretending the other doesn’t exist.”
Declan moves a bit closer, and the cologne, which he’s worn since he was seventeen, creeps around me. I bought him his first bottle of it for Christmas. It was musky and strong, which was how I felt about him. My heart aches with the knowledge that he still wears it.
“That’s not what I’ve been doing.”
I shake my head, not willing to listen to lies. “Six months, Declan. I’m asking you to avoid me, pretend I don’t live here, or that you don’t know me for the six months you’re stuck here.”
“I hate my father for this.”
We all hate his father. When he died, his four sons should’ve inherited the Arrowood farm. They should’ve been able to sell it and move on with their lives. But Declan’s father was cruel and selfish, even in death. The stipulation in the will was that each of the four brothers must live on the farm for six months. At the conclusion, they can do what they want with the property.
That means that, even after they swore they’d never come back here, they have no choice if they want their inheritance. And now I have to see the man who I have never gotten over.
“Regardless, you owe me this much.”
There’s a flash of hurt in his eyes, but he looks away. “You always have been beautiful and irresistible when you don’t hold back.”
Right. Sure I am. Enough that he could leave me so damn easily. I’m not going to let my heart read more into it. I have to protect myself because loving Declan has never been my issue. I’ve spent my entire life doing it as naturally as breathing.
My shoulders straighten, and I glare at him. “Well, I’m sure my boyfriend will appreciate you thinking so. If you’ll excuse me, I have a birthday cake to consume.”
I shoulder past him and pray my knees don’t buckle.
When I turn the corner, all hell breaks loose, and I don’t have to worry about my legs because I’m lifted into the air.
“Sydney!” Jacob grabs me, turning me around in his arms. “You fucking gorgeous woman. Look at you.”
I smile. Here’s another Arrowood I can like. “And look at you!” I slap his shoulder playfully. “You’re all famous and shit.”
Then Sean is there. “Give me that girl.” His deep voice is filled with warmth. “I’ve missed you, Syd.”
I wrap my arms around him and squeeze. “I’ve missed you guys too—well, some of you.”
