Page 212 of Releasing 10
“But you came back.”
“Two days later, Liz.”
“But you still came back, Hugh.”
“I’ll always come back to you,” I offered, wanting to fold her into my body and keep her safe. “No matter how often I have to leave, just know that I willalwayscome back for you.”
“To me or for me?”
“Both.”
“Good, because you’re the only reason I’m here.”
“Don’t, Liz.” My heart cracked. “Please don’t say that.”
“It’s the truth.” Her expression caved and she clenched her eyes shut to stem her tears. “I think fate got it wrong.”
My brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I’m the one supposed to drown, not her,” she explained. “I’m going to die in water, Hugh.”
“Liz.” My entire body tensed. “Why would you say that?”
“Because of my dream.”
“What dream?”
“The one where I’m trying to swim to the surface and someone is pushing my head under.”
“Holy shit, Liz.” I couldn’t hide my horror. “How long have you been having that dream?”
“Since as far back as I can remember,” she whispered. “The person holding me under screams at me to stop fighting, to just give up and breathe.” A full-body shudder racked through her. “When I do, I die, and that’s when I wake up.”
“That’s horrendous.”
“I think it’s an omen,” she admitted, sounding broken. “That I was never meant to be here…that I’m supposed to die under water.”
“No.” The word came out a lot harder than I meant, but I couldn’t stop it because my heart was gunning in my chest. “No, Liz, that’s not true, so don’t you dare believe it.”
“It’s kind of hard not to when I really want tonotbe here, Hugh.”
“I need you here, Liz,” I croaked out. “Ineedyou.”
“You don’t need me, Hugh,” she replied sadly. “You want me, but you won’t always feel that way.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it,” I argued back, pulling her body closer to mine. “Aside from the fact that you’re my girlfriend and I adore you, you’ve been my best friend since I was seven. You’re the keeper of all my secrets and the only girl on this planet I would willingly spend my time with. I absolutelydoneed you, Liz.”
“I’m so broken, Hugh.”
“You’re not broken,” I replied gently. “You’re grieving.”
“Iambroken,” she strangled out, looking devastated. “I’m notgood, Hugh. I’m not the girl you think I am, and one of these days, you’ll figure that out and leave.”
“I won’t,” I shot back insistently, feeling fucking crippled that she had so little faith in my ability to stay with her. “I won’t leave you, Liz.”
“Caoimhe left,” she whispered, eyelids fluttering shut to conceal her pain from me. “You’ll leave, too.”
“That’s not me,” I argued back, reaching for her hand. “I’m not that person.” I placed her hand on my cheek. “I won’teverleave you on your own.”
