We were alone now, but Marcus’ presence still lingered. He’d tainted this place for me and it would never be the same. It was no longer safe. It was like he got some kind of sick twisted joy out of seeing me suffer.
Caelan held me tightly in his arms, letting me cry.
I knew what I had to do and I only hoped he’d forgive me for destroying him.
“I’m so sorry he hurt you,” Caelan whispered, his lips brushing lightly over my forehead. The tender gesture only served to make me cry harder. I wanted him to stop being so sweet, because I was about to hurt him in the worst way imaginable.
I untangled myself from his hold and came to my feet. I was still shaky and he immediately jumped up and grabbed ahold of my arm to steady me.
“I’m fine,” I assured him.
“You’re not. Don’t lie to me.”
I turned my head slightly away from him, instead looking out the window. That’s when I saw Marcus standing on the street. His hands were shoved in his pockets and he was smirking at me through the window. I knew there was no way he really saw me, but it didn’t stop him from getting under my skin.
I swallowed thickly, walking away.
No more.
I couldn’t let him control me anymore.
And I couldn’t keep running.
This ended now.
It had to, because I couldn’t live in fear anymore.
I’d been doing fine up until this point. But I realized now that he’d never let me get away.
Rubbing my face, I mumbled, “I’m going to take a bath.”
“Okay,” Caelan whispered. Before I could go, he grabbed me by the neck and pulled my body against his once more. He rubbed his nose against the top of my head, inhaling the scent of my shampoo. “I love you, you know that, right? I live for you, Sutton. Only you. We’ll get through this. Together. I’ll make sure he never bothers you ever again.”
I dammed back any more tears that might have fallen. I clung to his body, never wanting to let go. I wanted to believe him, but I couldn’t.
The fact of the matter was, we were both too broken to ever be whole together. We couldn’t save each other. We couldn’t even help each other. I think we both needed each other at this point in our lives. We needed someone to understand us. Caelan Gregory was the best thing to ever happen to me, but his l
ove wasn’t enough to hold together the fragile pieces of my broken self.
“I love you too,” I whispered. My eyes closed and tears that did not fall clung to the fine strands of my lashes.
With one last lingering kiss to my lips, he let me go.
Only he didn’t know it would be the last time.
I closed the bathroom door behind me and leaned my back against it.
I was scared, but this had to be done. I couldn’t live like this—it wasn’t a life at all.
Damn Marcus for ruining everything! It’s all he ever did! He ruined my childhood and then he took away this too! The lengths to which he’d go to torture me were endless. He found pleasure in my suffering.
Pushing away from the door I worked on autopilot. The water filled the tub and steam swirled around me.
Can you really do this? I asked myself
The answer was immediate and simple. Yes.
I had to escape the pain, the memories, the heartbreak.