Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 39300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 197(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 197(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
I disconnect and hurl my phone across the room with a strangled cry.
I desperately want to block out the question and ignore him, but dammit all, what if he's right? Isn't that exactly what I'm so afraid of? That Dalton's been so weird the last few days because he told me that he loves me and he regrets ever saying it?
That's the fear running rampant through me, laying waste to my heart—that he regrets what he said. That he only said it in the first place because he nearly lost his grandfather and was overwhelmed. And that he only continues to say it because he doesn't know how to take it back now.
That we never had a chance at all.
Curling up on my side, I wrap my arms tightly around myself, choking on a sob as tears spill down my face. My shoulders shake as misery pours out of me.
I don't even hear him come in. But I feel the bed dip as he crawls onto it behind me, pulling me up against his hard body, his arms around me.
"Baby," he breathes against the nape of my neck. "You're breaking my heart. What's wrong?"
"N-nothing," I lie. Naturally, my voice cracks on a sob.
He flips me over to face him, his hand coming up to brush the wetness from my cheeks. "Those tears say different, Tempest. So did the look on your face when I walked out of here half an hour ago. You were upset then, and you're crying now. Talk to me."
I stare up at him, my heart in my throat, bottom lip quivering. God, I love this man so much.
"I'm in love with you," I say.
His hazel eyes drift closed just like always, as if he's reveling in that simple truth, before they pop open again, piercing as they land on me.
"But m-maybe Triton was right, and this was a bad idea," I choke out, my voice cracking.
A flicker of vulnerability crosses his face, and I feel an entire corner of my heart cave in. "You regret marrying me?"
"No," I whisper, shaking my head vehemently as fresh tears spill over. Never. Not even now, when I'm so damn afraid he regrets it.
He cups my cheek, tilting my face up to meet his intense gaze. "Your cousin is wrong, Tempest. This isn't a mistake," he growls. "You and I could never be a mistake."
"Then why won't you tell me what's wrong?" I cry, my bottom lip trembling. "Ever since you told me that you love me, you've been different, like you regret saying it."
"Fuck," he growls, jaw clenching. "You think I regret telling you the truth?"
"Do you?"
"Hell no, baby. I'm so fucking in love with you it's terrifying, but I don't regret a single fucking thing."
Hope flares in my chest, bright and hot. "Then what's wrong? Please, just tell me," I plead quietly. "Not knowing is killing me because I know you're hiding something. I feel it."
He sighs heavily and sits up, pulling me with him. I burrow into him, clinging to his hard body.
"My heart was yours before I ever said I do, baby." More tears well in my eyes at his declaration, but he isn't finished. "But I know you don't trust me entirely," he says softly, brushing his thumb along my bottom lip.
"I do trust you," I protest, scanning his face, searching for answers…trying to understand what's going on in his head.
"You still doubt me, baby. You wouldn't be crying so hard if you didn't."
My teeth sink into my quivering lip because he's right. As much as I want to give myself over to him completely, as much as I trust him, some small part of me is still afraid that he can't give himself back to me the same way.
"Dalton, I…"
"It's not your fault, Tempest. You're being manipulated," he says.
My gaze flies to his, confusion coursing through me. "What are you talking about?"
"I should have told you already." He blows out a harsh breath, tensing. "But I'm still a fucking coward. When it comes to you, I think part of me always will be. Part of me will always be fucking terrified of losing you because I need you so goddamn much."
My heart clenches at his words. "Needing someone, being afraid of losing them, doesn't make you a coward, Dalton. It makes you human."
He presses a kiss to my temple, his arms tightening around me. "I know that. At least, I'm learning that," he says. "But I'm worried as fuck that you won't believe a goddamn word I have to say when you hear it because of how badly I've been fucking this all up from the beginning. There wouldn't have been room for manipulation if I wasn't such a fucking coward. You'd have known from the beginning exactly how I felt."
I stare at him for a long moment, my heart hammering against my ribs. "You're scaring me," I whisper, my voice shaking. "W-what are you talking about?"