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Like he should have done before.
“I wanted you to go, be free of this place. Of your family.” He murmurs the words, his face close to my ear, breath warm on my cheek. “To save yourself.”
Inching away from him, I meet his gaze. “That wasn’t your choice. It was my decision to stay or go. But you forced it on me.”
We stare at each other for a long minute as he absorbs my words.
“I tried to do the right thing, Juliet.”
“And then you stand here and pretend you’re not a hero.”
9
KING
Dammit, Juliet’s aggravating as hell.
Right, but aggravating. Her sharp words sting, cutting me to the quick.
Maybe I was trying to be a hero back then.
I wanted to save her, protect her, rescue her from her horrible family. I was so wrapped up in my own pain that I didn’t bother stepping back and taking into account her perspective.
I blow out a shaky breath, my insides churning rougher than the ocean on a stormy day. I’m not big on apologies, and this one’s particularly tough. Given the fact that I sat on it for fifteen years and all.
“I needed you, King. And you threw me away—threw us away. Like we were nothing.”
Her eyes fill with tears, lower lip trembling, and I haven’t felt this awful in a long time. Probably since my parents died.
“Juliet—” I brush a hot tear from her cheek with my thumb, the skin as soft and smooth as I remember.
She’s so damn beautiful it’s almost painful to look at her. Like staring at the sun, the golden rays blinding.
I cup her face, and she tips her head into my palm, the flecks in her eyes sparkling in the light. My body aches from wanting.
Wanting her forgiveness. Wanting her body.
Wanting her.
“You always meant something to me. Always.” I run my fingers over her cheek, my chest tight. Barely breathing as I wait for her to say something.
She only sighs, whisper-soft, shoulders relaxing.
“I never meant to hurt you. Swear on my life. I only wanted the best for you. And that wasn’t me.”
To my horror, my voice breaks, cracking from pain and sadness. All the self-doubt crashes back, rolling over me in a tidal wave. I push down the burning in my chest, my gut, stare out at the lake and try to get a fucking hold of myself.
“King—” Juliet waits for me to meet her gaze.
I slide my eyes back to hers, and everything around me fades away as I fall back under her spell.
Beguiling.
“You were the best for me. Why can’t you believe that? All I ever wanted was you, King.”
I take her face in my hands, crash my mouth down onto hers. A tiny gasp of surprise escapes her lips, but I swallow the sound. Her fingers curl in my shirt, holding on to me, and it’s as if time stood still for us. None of the last fifteen years matter.
Nothing matters except me and Juliet, right here, right now.
