Page 54 of Eight Years Gone

She whirled around as tears slid down her cheeks. “Why are you here, Jagger?”

He frowned, caught off guard by the venom in her voice. “I’m here for you.”

She swiped at her cheeks. “Did you come back because you want me, or are you trying to ease your guilty conscience before you walk away again?”

So, it would be tonight. They were finally going to hash things out right here on the local beach. “I want you. I’ve always wanted you.”

She adamantly shook her head. “Then why did you go? Why did you leave me?” Pushing at his chest with a bad-tempered shove, she turned, walking away again.

He followed, grabbing her arm a second time. “Grace.”

She whirled around again as more tears fell. “I needed you, and you walked away.”

“I had to.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Your dad—”

“Do you think I would have chosen him over you—that I would have chosen the money?”

“No, I don’t. That’s why I left. I had nothing to offer you. I had nothing I could give you. You were the only one who never figured out that I wasn’t good enough for you.”

“God, I hate when you say that. I hated it then, and I hate it now.”

“It’s true.”

She cried harder as she shook her head. “You were all I needed, Jagger. All I needed was you.”

“Grace—”

“You were supposed to have loved me enough to stay. You were supposed to have respected me enough to let me choose. Because it always would have been you.”

God, she was ripping him to pieces with her big, sad eyes—with the agony radiating in her voice. “Gracie—”

“How could you do it? How could you throw it all away? There was no phone call. Not even a note. You were just gone.”

“I couldn’t call you, Grace. I wouldn’t have been able to leave if I heard your voice. If I didn’t go exactly when I did… I’d convinced myself I was making your life better by leaving.”

She huffed out a pained laugh. “You didn’t free me from you, Jagger. You destroyed me, damn you.”

She covered her face with her hands, crying harder yet. “Why didn’t you love me, Jagger? Why didn’t you love me enough to stay?”

“Grace.” He pulled her against him, wrapping her up, holding on tight. “I did love you. I still do. I never stopped.”

She shook her head.

Closing his eyes, he kissed the top of her head, rubbing his hands up and down her back. “I don’t ever want you thinking I didn’t love you,” he repeated, resting his cheek on her head. “I’ve never loved anyone the way I do you.”

Eventually, her arms came around him, clinging as she sucked in several unsteady breaths against his chest.

He held her closer yet as gentle waves lapped against the sand. “I’m so sorry I left the way I did. I’m so sorry I hurt you.”

Her shoulders relaxed as she nestled herself closer. “I don’t know what to do.” Sniffling, she eased slightly back. “I don’t know what we’re supposed to do.”

All he knew was he never wanted to let her go. But he also knew it wouldn’t be as simple as telling her so.

Sighing, he rested his forehead against hers. “What if I take you home? What if I give you some space?”

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