AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Don’t say that.” He frowns, placing his hands on his hips. “Scar, please let me explain this properly later. You’re bleeding.”
My eyes follow his, my feet filthy and bloody. “You lied to me.”
He stares through me as if not hearing me—or not wanting to. “Let me clean up your feet.”
I let my eyes lock with his green ones as they search my own, a pain in them I know lives somewhere inside me, too.
I knew you were close.
“I’m sorry if I upset you. I should have told you the truth.”
I do love him like he thinks I do.
And it’s terrifying.
It’s too much.
All of it.
Everything.
“Scar, come here.”
“You came to live with us because of your leg, and it was an opportunity to spend time with Ave. It’s been perfect for the two of you. I’m so happy for you both, and I’m glad that you’re healing.”
“Scarlet,” he grinds out.
I nod, a lightness chasing away the dark. That terror ebbing away. “Ave’s really excited to get a room set up at the house. We’ll figure out the logistics of her going between the two of us.”
“What are you saying?” he snaps. “Scarlet, I know you love me.”
You can’t choose your family, and it’s the truth, you can’t. “I can’t. This is my choice.”
“And it’s fucking stupid. I’ll make you see. I’m not going to leave you.”
Something sparks in my chest, like a part of me remembers and wants to believe it. “You promised me that before. You promised me that and look what happened.”
“And I meant it. I meant it to the point I put a bullet in another man to keep you!”
My eyes screw tight. “Don’t say that.”
He grabs my arms, putting us chest to chest. “Look at me.”
“When the sun sets, and you start to forget me, remember every second you fell in love with me in this meadow.”
My eyes drift apart, his beautiful face coming into focus. “I never forgot a second of it. I never will,” I promise, a tear catching me off guard as it slips down my cheek.
It couldn’t have been any better.
No matter how tragic my mum and dad’s story was, I get it now. Stood here with Lance, the love ofmylife, I understand my dad’s last words.
“I can prove it to you. Let me, please. We can do this.”
I shake my head as I gaze up at him, images of the woman in the shack flashing in my mind. “Mum told me I was strong. In her letters. That I’d be strong for the people around me, but—” I feel my chin wobble and roll my lips, pleading to him with my eyes to understand. “I don’t want to have to be strong anymore,” I whisper. “I can’t love you and be strong.”
“But I won’t leave you.”
Everyone leaves.“Lance, let me go.”
