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“In this case, it’s true. I care for you, but I’m not in love with you and never was. It was wrong of me to lead you on. I knew that then, and I know it now. I’m sorry I handled things so poorly, but finding out I was pregnant, and then Ledger and I… I could only handle one thing at a time.”
“So what? You put me on the back burner? After everything we’ve been through? I was there for you when all he did was throw you away!”
“Fuck you!” Ledger challenged. “You know nothing about us.”
“Oh yeah? I don’t know about all the times she cried over some guy who broke her heart? I don’t know about how hard it was to get her to open up to me? I don’t know how difficult it was to get her to trust me? It’s all your fault! You broke her, and I tried to put her back together, but it was no use. Not when she’s still in love with you!”
“Johnathan, please…”
“Do you have any idea how many times I’d catch her crying because of you?! You fucked her over! And now she’s doing the same to me because of you! Now that’s bullshit! You know what?” He glared back and forth between us. “You two deserve each other. I dodged a bullet. Thanks for making me realize she was the worst mistake of my life. She’s nothing but a fucking whore who got knocked up—”
It all happened so fast.
“Ledger, don’t!” That was the last thing I heard before his fist connected with Johnathan’s face.
He flew back, immediately falling to the ground, but Ledger didn’t stop. He gripped the collar of his shirt, dragging him up.
“You piece of shit! Get the fuck off my property! Better yet, I’ll throw you the fuck out!”
“Get your hands off me!” Johnathan stumbled over his own two feet as Ledger hauled his ass to his car.
Johnathan was not a small guy by any means, and Ledger made it look easy. He was not breaking a sweat in the least. As soon as they were at the car door, he held him back to open it.
Ledger tossed his ass into the driver’s seat, booming, “You ever show your face here again, I won’t hesitate to make you regret it. Hazel’s always been mine, motherfucker. Regardless of how many times you thought otherwise.”
Ledger meant every word he said, I felt it deep in my bones.
Slamming the car door in his face, he stepped back as Johnathan drove away. My state of mind was only in one place. I needed to make things right with Ledger. He was all that mattered to me. I hated that it took me so long to admit it.
I was frozen.
Pale as a ghost.
My eyes were wide, and my mouth was open.
The way he looked at me, felt me, still loved me…
I saw it written clear across his expression. I couldn’t hide my love for him anymore. He wouldn’t allow it.
Never breaking his intense stare, he spoke the truth, “I gave up the one girl who’s ever meant something to me, and it’s the biggest regret of my life. I won’t allow that to happen again. I know now more than ever that you’re the love of my life. I’ve never stopped loving you. Time, years, distance… it never changed. I couldn’t tell you then, but I sure as shit can tell you now.”
He made his way back over to me.
Once he stood in front of my face, he admitted for the first time, “I love you, Hazel. I’m so fucking in love with you, and I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to you how much I love you and Hallie. I’m so sorry I didn’t fight for you then, but I’ll go to battle with anyone for you now. Do you understand me? No one is taking you away from me.”
Staring deep into my eyes, he vowed,“Especially you.”
Twenty-Six
Hazel
Icouldn’t believe what had just happened.
I stood there shocked and dismayed, trying to process everything that had gone down in such a short amount of time. It was one thing after another, and I couldn’t keep up with the turn of events any longer.
Trying to find my bearings, I stayed silent, not knowing what to say or how to say it. I could imagine what he was feeling because I was feeling it too. My heart broke for him. All I wanted to do was comfort him, fully aware nothing could take away the pain he felt for what he put me through. Especially after hearing Johnathan throw it in his face.
To my surprise, he broke the silence between us, expressing, “When we ran into each other at that hotel, I thought this was it. This was our moment to truly be together. For the first time in my life, I believed what you had told me in my bedroom.”
