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“I’m just taking care of a few things. Love you.”
“Love you too, Landon. If you need me to come home…”
“No. I need you to have the life you always wanted.” He smiled even as he felt like a complete and total monster. “I’ve got to go now, sweetie. We’ll talk soon.”
He went back to find the doctor finishing up bandaging Tulip’s arm.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, it’s fine. More than fine. Come on, we’ve got somewhere to be.”
****
One week later
Tears filled Tulip’s eyes as the car came to a stop.
Her life. Her very existence had changed.
She was back in England, probably wealthier than when she’d left, with a brand-new apartment and a new life, away from all the chaos of the Denton world.
The cost?
Landon.
He was dead.
Gone.
She wiped at her face as more tears fell.
“This is your place now. It’s protected. There are guards, and if anything seems strange to you, or you’re not happy, give them a call. When you get in, you’ll see the file with all the relevant information. Also, this is for you. If you need to reach me or one of his brothers, the numbers are all saved in there,” Rick said, handing her a mobile phone.
“Why didn’t you save him?” she asked.
“Tulip, I told you what happened.”
“And I know how he spoke of you. He wanted this, didn’t he?” she asked. “He wanted to die to protect me.” She sobbed. Her arm still hurt from the bullet she’d taken to protect him. “I never even got to tell him that I love him. It’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair but you know that.”
“Don’t,” she said. “Don’t even start giving me the stupid talk. I know how fucked up life is.” She sniffled. “He died without even knowing how I felt.”
“You did love him then?”
“He’s the only person I’ve ever loved. I didn’t say it because … people leave. I didn’t want him to go and now I will never see him again.” Tulip covered her face as she sobbed out her pain. Landon was dead.
His arms would never be around her.
He would never love her.
“Landon told me you wanted your parents to die,” Rick said. “I can make that happen if you’d like. I can deal with it before I have to go back.”
She shook her head. “No. The only thing you have to tell them is I don’t want to see them, ever. They couldn’t even keep me. The least they can do is leave me the fuck alone.” She climbed out of the car.
Being near him wasn’t helping.
Landon was dead.
