Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83244 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83244 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
The crack in his voice was almost too much to bear. Tears filled my eyes as I told him, “Ryan...”
“I kept thinking if I was patient… if I loved you both enough, eventually you would come around and feel for me the way I do about you.”
“I shouldn’t have moved in here. I shouldn’t have let us get so close. That’s on me, and I’m sorry. It wasn’t fair to you. I was just too selfish to see it.”
“I wanted you here. I still do.”
“I know, and I’m so sorry.” I had to fight back my tears as I told him, “I wish things could’ve been different.”
“But they’re not.” He stood and walked to the window, folding his arms across his chest as he said, “You chose him, and that’s all that really matters.”
“But…”
“No, Brooke. Don’t try to sugarcoat it.” He ran his hand across the back of his neck. “I’m not going to pretend that I understand… This guy disappeared out of your life years ago. He left you to raise his daughter on your own.”
“That’s not fair… He didn’t even know about her.”
“He would’ve if he’d just picked up the damn phone or tried to talk to you about whatever was going on with you two; then he would’ve known. That’s on him!”
“It’s not all his fault… I should’ve told him.” My throat tightened as I said, “I shouldn’t have kept his daughter from him. That wasn’t fair to him or her.”
“Damn. You’re always so quick to defend him. He doesn’t deserve it.” He shook his head. “He’s in one of those biker gangs. I know you know what they’re all about… that they’re dangerous criminals who take whatever they want and don’t give a shit about anyone who stands in their way.”
“They aren’t like that,” I replied in barely a whisper.
“Come on, Brooke. You’re not that naïve. You know what people like them can do. You’ve seen it for yourself… Women and kids caught in the crossfire of their parents’ bullshit. That’s what you’re setting yourself up for… what you’re setting your daughter up for.”
“You don’t know them, Ryan. They aren’t bad people.”
“I didn’t say they were bad.” He let out a breath. “I said they were dangerous, and they are. It’s one thing to put yourself in that, but you have a daughter to think about.”
“And I have.”
“Well, you need to think harder.” He didn’t raise his voice. He remained calm and steady as he spoke, and somehow, that made it worse when he said, “That little girl deserves to grow up somewhere safe… You’ve spent years protecting kids from unstable homes and dangerous parents, and now, you’re actually considering…”
His words trailed off as he shook his head. I opened my mouth to speak but stopped myself. There was nothing I could say that was going to make him feel better about this, so I just sat there and listened as he said, “I know he’s Anslee’s father. Nobody can change that, but she deserves better than this. And so do you.”
I’d taken all I could take, so I tossed my blanket to the side and stood. “You’re wrong… you don’t know anything about him or his brothers.”
“Brothers,” he scoffed. “Didn’t he kill his?”
“Ryan! That’s too far!”
“Is it?” His eyes narrowed. “I haven’t said anything that isn’t true.”
“It isn’t all black and white, Ryan. I love you, and I’m sorry this has been so hard for you. I wish I could change that, but you’re wrong about him. You’re wrong about all of it… If Brayden is a member of that club, there’s a good reason for it. And it doesn’t matter what name he has on his back. He’s still the Brayden I’ve always known.”
Ryan grumbled something under his breath.
I knew he didn’t want to hear what I had to say about Brayden, but that didn’t stop me from saying, “He spent years trying to make something of himself. There were times when he didn’t know where his next meal was coming from… Even then, he was more worried about other people than himself… He gave his only coat to a boy in the shelter who didn’t have one. He gave his food rations to mothers who were trying to make do. He never questioned it. He never asked for anything in return. That was who he was… That’s who he is.”
“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” He stepped toward me as he said, “Because I already know who the better man is, and it isn’t him.”
“He isn’t the enemy here, and neither are you.” I let out a defeated breath. “You are a wonderful man, Ryan. You have such a big heart… You deserve someone who loves you utterly and completely, but that person isn’t me.”
He stared at me with a blank expression. I knew then that nothing I said was going to change anything, so I just stood there, silently staring back at him. After a few moments, he finally asked, “How much longer are you planning to stay here?”