Page 47 of Finding Redemption

Tucking the covers up around Bella after she fell asleep, I went to the room I was supposed to be sharing with Paxton and packed up my things.Bella needed me.She was the one who mattered.Fortunately, Chloe, and then Paxton himself, had reminded me that giving my heart away to any man was a stupid decision.

I just wished I’d been reminded before I’d completely fallen for him.

Not that I had a choice.That was taken from me the moment I met Paxton.I’d fought a losing battle against loving him ever since.

Ugh.I should have fought harder.

How long had Paxton been in love with Sariah?All the signs had been there, but I’d ignored it.They were so close because he loved her.And now, I realized why he wasn’t with her.

Did she know how Paxton felt?

Fighting the sting of tears, I zipped up my bag.Going back to Bella’s room, I washed the makeup from my face, changed into my pajamas, and crawled into bed beside her.Her arms wrapped around me, clutching, clinging like she thought I might disappear if she didn’t hold tight enough.

I held her back, silently promising her I would never let go.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

Brooke

It tooka while for me to fall asleep, but once I did, I slept so hard.“Brooke,” Bella whispered, shaking my hand.

Hearing the quaver in her voice jerked me awake, only to startle when I felt Paxton’s arm around me.I’d never heard him come in, hadn’t felt him slip into bed behind me or when he’d wrapped his arm over both me and Bella.I’d even cuddled back into him.

Apparently sleep-me was desperate for any contact with him I could get.

He was lightly snoring with his face in my hair, as if he’d fallen asleep smelling it.Bella’s eyes went back and forth from her dad to me.Filing the moment away to pick apart later, I stroked Bella’s cheek.Someone had left the blinds open, giving us plenty of light to see each other now that it was morning.“What’s wrong, precious?”

“I’m hungry,” she whispered, her brow furrowing when she glanced at her father again.“Can we have breakfast?Just you and me.Please.”

“Get dressed,” I told her with a forced smile.“I’m in the mood for waffles.”

While she hopped out of bed and ran into the bathroom, I closed my eyes and soaked in the moment.Paxton’s deep, even breaths, the puffs of air against my neck.His scent filling my nose.His heat pressed into my back.How protectively—possessively—he held me in his sleep.

Yesterday, it had felt so good.Right.Like this was what was meant to happen between us.As if I could be his one, because I’d realized he was mine.And that delusion hurt so badly.I wasn’t his one.Sariah was.

It wasn’t anger at either of them that had me carefully untangling myself from Paxton.How could I be mad about who he loved?I couldn’t change it.Couldn’t force him to love me when his heart was already engaged elsewhere.

“Kitten,” he sighed, stirring.

Holding my breath because I wasn’t ready to talk to him about anything yet, I waited to see if he would sit up.But he only rolled onto his stomach, his arm thrown over one of the extra pillows.

I changed my clothes quickly and then used the bathroom as soon as Bella stepped out.Paxton was still asleep when I opened the door.There was no sign of Luck or Sariah in the rest of the suite.Not wanting a text to disturb anyone, I scrawled a note and left it on the kitchen counter before taking Bella’s hand and stepping into the elevator.

We weren’t leaving the hotel, so I didn’t see any reason to take Henry with us.The hotel had a restaurant on the fifth floor that boasted the best breakfast buffet in all of Vegas.I doubted it, but Bella wanted us to eat away from her family, so it was a better option than room service.

She piled two plates full of waffles, bacon, and eggs and then sat at our table, stuffing her face like she hadn’t eaten in a week.I was slower to eat my own waffles, not the least bit hungry but giving Bella time to gather her thoughts if she wanted to talk out her feelings regarding the previous night.

“How are you doing over here, ladies?”our waitress asked with a bright smile.“Did you find everything?Can I get you refills?”

“I need the biggest cup of coffee you have, please,” I told her with a grim smile, pushing my glass of orange juice aside.

“Sure thing, hon.”

She walked away, and Bella finally lowered her fork.“Are you mad at Daddy?”

“No, Bella,” I told her honestly.“I have some big feelings today, but anger isn’t one of them.”

“Oh.I… Are you going to leave me?”she finally burst out.

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