Page 63 of Until I Found You
What if he did something that took him away from me?
“It’s okay, please don’t cry.”
“No, it’s not okay. It’s not. You have to stop, don’t you understand? He’s already said once if you don’t back off, he’s going to put you six feet under next to Gage. Don’t you get it? He has already told you he will do the same. He’s practically admitting it.”
“Him threatening it doesn’t mean he’s guilty, Halle. I need to do right by him. It’s my fault he was there that night. It’s my responsibility to see that Gage gets justice.”
Holding Graham’s face between my hands, I force him to look at me.
“You may be the reason he was on the road that night, but what happened to Gage is not your fault.”
Graham jerks his head away, turning away from me. I sense he doesn’t believe me, and it pisses me off he’s putting this on himself.
“Damn it, Graham. Look at me.”
He pushes me off his lap and moves to stand. I’m taken aback this is how he’s reacting, hating he’s once again pushing me away.
“You know what, never mind. I’m going to get dressed, you can take me home.”
Graham charges toward me, pulling me back to him, and forcing me to turn to look at him.
“Halle, don’t.”
“You don’t want to talk about it, then fine. I don’t want to be here. Just take me home so I can get ready for work.”
“Fuck,” he responds, frustrated, running his hand through his hair. His arms are broad, the move making his muscles flex. My mind quickly moves in a different direction, thinking about all the ways his strong arms will have their way with me if I don’t listen. He looks so damn sexy.
That knowledge only makes me more frustrated. Arguing with him is infuriating because even when I’m mad, I still want to climb up his body and have my way with him.
“Halle,” he warns, seeing the way I’m eyeing him.
Staring up at him, I force myself not to think about my attraction to him. Sex isn’t going to cover up or solve the problems we have like they did the night of the wedding. We need to talk about this if we have any hope of moving forward.
Closing the distance between us, I wrap my arms around his middle. With my face pressed against his chest, I hear the steady beat of his heart and I focus on that sound.
It’s a reminder he’s still here with me, he’s still alive.
“It’s not your fault,” I mumble.
He brings his arms up, wrapping them around my shoulder. He drops his face down next to mine, pressing a kiss against my collarbone.
“I know,” he says, and my body deflates hearing the words as he steps away. “It doesn’t mean I don’t feel guilty still. Maybe if he hadn’t been on the road, it would’ve happened eventually. Maybe the outcome would’ve been different.”
“Or maybe it wouldn’t have been. Graham, you can sit here all day and speculate over the could’ve beens, but it isn’t going to change what happened. I wish it were different, but Gage wouldn’t want you to do this to yourself.”
“Maybe not, but he would want answers. He would want justice.”
I nod in agreement. He’s right.
“You’re right, he would. Gage was smart, strong, and honorable. He fought for what was right, and he would be proud of the man you’ve become.”
My heart hammers in my chest, heaving with every word. I’m so frustrated and confused. My head is all over the place right now.
“Halle,” Graham says, pulling me out of my thoughts. “I love you.”
Just like that, nothing else matters.
“I love you too.”
