He tries to sit up straight, despite just getting out of surgery. I doubt it’s a good idea, but I also know I wouldn’t be able to stop him. He’s too stubborn for that.
His hand rises to meet my face, the pad of his thumb brushing away the tears. “The last thing I want is to cause you more pain.”
God. This man.
If only I’d known sooner how he felt for me.
If only I’d been true to myself and admitted my love for him.
Maybe all of this could’ve been avoided.
Liam pulls off a bit of the bandage to check out the wound on his leg. It’s been neatly sewed up, and all that’s left is a bit of blood and a few stitches. “It looks gnarly.”
“You should’ve seen it before the surgery,” I reply.
“How did I even get to this clinic?” he asks.
“Luca and Jill helped me carry you back to the car. It was Luca’s idea to go to this clinic.”
He frowns, bewildered. “Luca helped? I thought he wanted me dead.”
“I’m not sure he truly wants that,” I reply. “You’re his brother. I’m sure on some level he might still love you.”
“I threatened the girl he loved. Again.”
“True …” I sigh and avert my eyes. “I’m sorry for putting you in this mess,” I say, eyes stinging from the salt. “You got shot because of me.”
He grabs my face. “Don’t. Don’t blame yourself for my choices.”
“But I came to your cabin to—”
He puts a finger over my lips. “I don’t want to hear it. I lured you there. And what I did was wrong, and I know that. All of it.” He lowers his eyes at me. “I made you a promise. And I almost broke it. And I’m sorry.”
It’s hard to look at him. “I thought you were going to kill my sister …” I can barely get the words out of my mouth.
“Because Luca said he was going to take you home,” he says with furrowed brows.
I gasp. “But I thought …”
“That I wanted revenge?” He shakes his head. “Believe me, I thought about it. Plenty of times.” His muscles harden underneath my body. “But taking Jill was the only way to get him to stop the car. To get him to release you.”
“But you let her go,” I say, looking up at him with tearstained eyes. “Why?”
He tips my chin up, so I don’t hide my tears from him. “Because I knew it would hurt you. Because you love her, and I love you.”
My heart explodes.
“You made me a promise to never hurt yourself again,” he says. “And I saw the hurt in your eyes when I stood there with that gun … I refused to be the one to make you break that promise. Even if I knew Luca was going to shoot me when I let Jill go.”
My lips quiver. I’m completely stunned. “You … knew he’d try to kill you?”
He nods. “It didn’t matter. As long as you wouldn’t hurt yourself with that knife… as long as you were happy … alive.”
The world is caving in on me again.
This room is too small.
Too small to breathe.