Page 111 of Such a Good Girl

“God, no.”

“I didn’t think so. So, I’ll just say this and then not talk about it again. I think if you apologized, West would hear you out. I think he’d forgive you.”

“You do?”

“He’s a fucking wreck, Kaylee.”

“It might be worth a try,” Violet added. “If you don’t at least try, you know you’ll regret it for the rest of your life, Kaylee. I’ve never seen you like this with anyone.”

I rolled my eyes and groaned. Slipping under the water completely, I wished the water would just wash away allofthis pain.

ChapterForty-Two

WEST

Icouldn’t sleep.

I couldn’t fucking eat.

I couldn’t fucking think.

I felt like everything was falling apart all around me. As if Kaylee’s betrayal wasn’t enough, this morning I’d learned that Danika was dead. Tossed in an alley like a piece of trash. It was all over the news, and of course, my phone was blowing up like crazy with everyone wanting a statement from me. I’d had to fight my way past a group of paps outside the club when I’d arrived this morning.

I couldn’t fucking believe it.

As much as I hated Danika towards the end of our marriage, I’d never have wished that shit on her. Nobody deserved that.

I was miserable and angry…and sad. All of it weighed on me, my heart felt like a damned stone in my chest. I felt frozen, unable to work. Just stuck in place with no ability to move forward. I didn’t even know what the next step was.

Lost in my thoughts, I almost didn’t hear the soft knock at my office door.

“Yeah,” I muttered, figuring it was Joey. I’d been rough on him lately, but we had a meeting in an hour and knowing him, he was annoyingly early. “Come in.”

When Kaylee’s head poked through the side of the door, my heart leapt into my chest.

“Hey,” she said, softly, a tentative smile on her beautiful face. She looked beautiful, different somehow. Or maybe it was just me seeing her in a different light now that I knew who she really was. I’d not been in the same room with her since that last night at the cabin and the urge to gather her in my arms and hold her close overwhelmed me.

“Kaylee,” I whispered, standing up and closing the distance between us. “Shouldn’t you be at work? I heard about Danika this morning.”

“I’m so sorry about Danika, West. I know you weren’t on the best terms, but still.”

“Thank you. I hope you can figure out who’s doing this shit.”

“I’m not working the case anymore.”

“Why not?”

“I quit the force, actually.”

My eyes searched hers, a million questions forming in my head. “Why?”

“A lot of reasons.”

“Am I one of them?”

“Not exactly,” she said. “It was time. I thought it was what I needed to do a long time ago. Now, I’m not so sure. There’s a lot about me you don’t know, West. I’m so sorry I had to lie to you. I didn’t want to. I hated doing it. I wanted to tell you the truth as soon as we met, as soon as we connected, but I couldn’t. I’m not exactly who you thought I was, that’s true. But that’s only my job. I was myself with you. Everything we experienced together? That was all real. I know it was wrong. I really am sorry. I know you probably won’t forgive me, and you don’t have to. I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t offer you my sincerest apology. West, I really do care about you. If you ever want to try again --.” She paused, tears falling down her face. “I would like that.”

I drank in her words. She looked like she meant every single one.

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