“I’m not changing the past. I’m stating the present. We love each other as much as we did before—”

“You weren’t in love with me when you were fucking Fleur, Derek.” She opened the door and hopped out.

I closed my eyes as I took the insult, let the knife stab me in the heart. But I got out and went after her, taking the stairs with her.

“Leave me alone, Derek.”

“I was in love with you. I’ve always been in love with you. I’ll always be in love with you.”

When she reached the landing to the second floor, she turned on me. “Fuck off.”

“There’s one woman I want to spend my life with—and it’s not Fleur.” I grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward me.

She didn’t spin out of my grasp or push me away.

I kept my fingers tight on her wrist, not letting her go. “Baby, please—”

“Don’t call me that.”

“I’m not gonna stop, so don’t bother.” I moved closer to her, noticing the way she didn’t step back, noticing the way her eyes showed icy coldness but also reluctant warmth. “You love me. Forgive me.”

“No.” She pulled her wrist free and turned away.

I grabbed her again, this time moving her against the wall in front of the stairs. “You didn’t take that other job because you want to stay with me. So, be with me. I’m here in this relationship, and I’m waiting for you to join me. Come on.”

She looked away but didn’t deny my claim.

“Your daughter approves of me. That’s what you wanted—”

“You think I leave all my adult decisions to my teenage daughter?” She turned back to me, her eyes shining with moisture.

“No. But I think her opinion means the world to you. You told me you come as a set. But that’s wrong. You’re not a set of two, but three. It’s the three of us now—a family.”

She turned her head away, breathing hard, holding her silence. “That dream is gone, Derek.”

“She’s far more stubborn than you, baby. But she’s forgiven me.”

“But she’s not the one in love with you.” She looked at me again, angry. “She’s not the one—”

“You’re in love with me. I’m in love with you. Period.”

She shook her head. “How dare you dismiss what you’ve done—”

“Don’t be like me. Don’t hold grudges when you love someone. Don’t live without someone out of anger and bitterness. Don’t stop yourself from being happy because you’d rather be miserable, because it’s easier to be miserable than to take another chance. Come on, you’re way stronger than me. You’re far better than me.”

She dropped her gaze. “It’s not that easy—”

“I’m not going to hurt you again. I promise.”

She pressed her lips tightly together.

“You know I’m telling the truth. You know I’m gonna be here day in and day out. Let the past go, and let’s be together. Forever.”

When she reached her breaking point, she pushed me off her. “No.” She took the stairs to the next level.

“You think I’m just going to go away? You think this problem is just going to vanish? You think you’re gonna wake up one day and stop loving me? Because you would be over me by now if that were true. And I sure as hell will never stop loving you. Ever.”

She turned around and looked down at me from the next landing, her eyes watery. “No. But the hurt isn’t going to stop either, Derek. It’s easier for you to forget what happened because you didn’t even experience it. But for me, I remember… I remember every fucking day all over again. And every day, I’m going to be scared that something will set you off, and I’ll have to suffer all over again.”

Daisy opened the door, her long brown hair in a high ponytail, wearing her black leggings and a loose sweater. She smiled when she saw me and opened her mouth to make a joke, but when she recognized my sour mood, she shut her mouth again. She regarded me for a few seconds. “Everything okay, Derek?”

“Dad around?”

“He’s always around.” She stepped aside and let me into the condo. Then she wrapped her arms around me and gave me a warm hug with a kiss on my cheek. “I’m always down for a talk…or to take some shots.”

I gave her a slight smile. “I know.”

Daisy moved to the couch and talked to Mom for a bit. They silently excused themselves, knowing I wanted to talk to Dad alone. They probably went down the hallway to watch a movie in bed because they were stuck together like glue…just the way my dad and I were.

Dad left the dining table and walked to me, his eyes sizing me up, trying to read me before he reached me. His hand moved to my shoulder, and he gave me an affectionate squeeze, sadness entering his gaze like he could somehow feel everything I felt just through the touch. “Beer or scotch?”

Tags: Victoria Quinn Soulless Billionaire Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net