Page 65 of What the Heart Wants (Desires of the Heart 1)

“You guys wanted what I could give you. I was just a spot to fill. There are plenty women out there for you.” She says the words and, as harsh as they were, I can finally see just how broken she is. She holds the tears back.

“That’s not what you were, and you know it. You mean everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, to us,” Levi growls.

“And how do you expect me to continue this? Us? I spent the last few months feeling like I was the happiest in the world, but also like I was competing with a ghost. She meant everything to you guys, and how do we move on knowing that her heart is inside of me?” she says, and her voice cracks at the end.

I step forward and put a hand on her cheek. “Baby, you were never competing with her. We loved her so much. It broke something in us when she died, but then you came like this force of light that gave us something we didn’t know we needed. What we feel for you is completely different, and that doesn’t make it less. My heart hurts knowing this could be the last time I see this beautiful face because we said some words in shock that we never truly meant. We are going to spend the rest of our lives making it up to you.”

“I just don’t know how we can move forward,” she whispers brokenly and looks away.

“Ky…” Logan says from beside her in a wheelchair.

“No, Logan. It’s not the same,” she says harshly.

“I know it’s not, darling. They did lose someone they loved. You told me everything. The grief never goes away. You need to try and work this out. I know you want to. If there is a piece of you that wants to forgive them, then you need to try instead of spending your life wondering ‘what if’,” he says softly.

“What about you and the kids?” she asks.

“We can deal for one night without you. Go see if you can fix that broken heart of yours. I’m sure we can work something out in the morning,” he says reassuringly.

“Alright. I’ll be back tomorrow. Wait… what about dinner?” she asks panicked.

“I can order pizza like nobody’s business,” he tells her with a wink.

She chuckles but nods her head.

“Okay. I’ll try.”

She gives him a hug, and he whispers something in her ear before she gives us her attention.

“Let’s go to wherever you are staying and talk. I’m not saying I’ll forgive you; we have a lot we need to work through before I can get there,” she says sternly.

We all quickly nod our heads. We will do anything we can to fix this.

We move fast in case she changes her mind. We get in the SUV and get out of there as fast as we can.

She has got to forgive us.

I don’t see how this could work any other way.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Kyla

A part of me wants to turn around and run in the other direction. I know that Logan is right. I have a huge part of me that wants to try and work through this. I love all of them with my whole heart.

I would be spending the rest of my life wondering “what if?” and I don’t think I could live that way.

That doesn’t mean, however, that I will make it easy on them.

I’m not surprised when I see they had gotten a suite. They need space to fit all of them.

I sit down on the couch that’s in the room as they silently have a conversation with each other.

“Well?” I ask looking at each of them.

“I’m sorry. I know that sorry doesn’t cut it. I may not have said anything that I regret, but I was silent and turned my back on you when you needed me. That’s just as terrible. I was torn between standing with my men and standing with you. I could feel the divide and it was eating me up inside,” Grayson says pleading to me with his eyes.

“That may be true, but this is supposed to be a relationship with the five of us. It will take a ton of work from everyone. Communication is important. I shouldn’t have to feel like it’s me against the four of you. If there is a disagreement, then I don’t think I should automatically be standing alone,” I admit.

---