Page 117 of The Hallows Queen

“If it means anything at all, I really have changed, Penelope,” he says, toying with the sand. “I got help. I got sober.”

“That’s great, Hayden,” I say, and I mean it. “Really. But you did it too late. I’m still living the consequences of your actions.”

“We both made the decision to be together. You aren’t completely innocent in this, you know?”

I huff a laugh, then take a breath. “I’m not the one that got blackout drunk and told third period.”

“No,” he says, never looking away from me. “You’re not. I am. And I’ll live with that regret every day of my fucking life, but you knew being with me with a risk, and you still took it.”

I scoff, shaking my head as I stand up. “I’m not listening to this.”

“Penelope.” He jumps up, grabbing my hand. “Just fucking sit down.”

“No!” I shout. “You don’t get to tell me what to do anymore, Hayden.Youfucking ruined us,youdestroyed my life,youand no one else!”

Before I can even think, his lips are on mine, cutting off my shouts, and I pull back before the reminder of his kiss makes me melt into him. “Don’t.”

His hand finds my jaw, and his features fall into the grief I saw five years ago. “You’re the only person I’ve ever fucking loved, Penelope. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. If I could go back in time and change it,I would!But I can’t live one more day without you.”

My mind spins with confusion, shock, and a touch of pure panic.

“Stop it!” I yell, stepping back. “You can’t just come back into my life and shake it all up again! I am finally stable. I finallyhavea life.”

“A boring ass realtor fiancé and a job as a waitress?” he says, holding his arms out. “You could have more.”

“Icould havehad more! And being with youruined it!” I scream, tears streaming down my face. “And you come back here, after all this time, andkiss me?!No! I amnotyours anymore.”

He turns his head to the side, putting a finger just under the tattoo on his neck.

P

“Well, I’m yours. Always have been, always will be.”

My chest heaves, and I stand in front of him, trying to catch my breath.

“You didn’t get it covered up.”

He laughs. “Never.”

Part of me isn’t surprised by his words.

I shake my head, brushing the tears from my cheeks before I look at him again. “I’m going to go home.”

“Please stay with me,” he says, taking a small step toward me.

“I can’t,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “Please don’t follow me, just let me go, Hayden.”

Chapter42

Hayden

I wakeup the next morning with a pain in my back that makes it hard to breathe. I guess that’s what I get for sleeping in an armchair in my father’s hospital room.

He hasn’t woken up – they say he probably won’t.

They say it’s just a waiting game now. Could be hours, could be weeks.

I’d love to say that I’m struggling, battling my depression because of my father’s lifeless body lying in the bed next to me, but I’m not. I feel fine. Although over the years, I’ve found somewhat of a relationship with my father, it doesn’t change everything he’s done.

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