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Brynn sniffled and his gaze shot to her. “I’m sorry I hurt you. But I don’t think what I did for you . . . that my intentions were wrong.”
She shook her head, wiping tears from her eyes before they could fall. “Your intentions were not wrong. But the way you went about it was. We agreed on something and you went behind my back to do what you wanted to get your own results. You treated me like a child. And I . . . I’ve lost trust in you.”
He sucked in a breath, her words spearing through his chest.
She stood, then walked over to the dresser, opening her drawers. Was she going to run? She couldn’t. It wasn’t safe. The dilapidated garage they’d lived in before flashed in his mind. They couldn’t go back there. Brynn pulled out another drawer, then filled her arms with clothing. Was she leaving him for good? No. Danielle still needed his help. She couldn’t end up like Emmanuel. If Brynn shut him out, Dani wouldn’t get the help she needed. And fuck, this woman owned his heart. No. This wasn’t the end. He just had to make her see reason.
“What are you doing? You can’t leave.”
“I think it’s for the best. I’ll move this stuff—”
“Think of what this will mean for Dani. She needs to be somewhere stable, where she can get professional and medical help. If you leave, she’ll suffer. You can’t just run away from this—from me. You can’t do this on your own. You need me, Brynn. And fuck . . . I want you.”
Brynn froze before she turned to him, eyes shining with hurt and rage. “I was going to move back into the guest bedroom so we could have some time to calm down and see if we could work past this . . . but you . . . you’re just like them.”
He blinked, his body trembling with barely contained anger at the accusation.
“You telling me I can’t make it without you, after you spent so much time verbalizing how much I’m capable . . . was it all a lie?”
He ground his teeth. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“And worst of all, you are using my love for my daughter to try and manipulate me yet again into staying . . . because you want me.” She swallowed. “That’s what my family, what Paul said. ‘You’re nothing without me, Miriam. You need me. You can’t take care of David by yourself. You can’t just run away, Brynna proved that, didn’t she?’’” Brynn choked out the words as she shook her head and darted to the closet for a suitcase.
Aaron had fucked up. That wasn’t what he’d meant at all. How had his good intentions spiraled into this mess?
She sniffed. “I guess your dad was right.” She grabbed more clothes from the drawers, taking armfuls to the suitcase.
He frowned. “About what?”
She zipped up the suitcase. “He said you had a savior complex. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before. That’s what this is, isn’t it? You saw a broken bird and wanted to fix its wing.”
“Are you the bird in this analogy?” Aaron stepped forward, placing his hand on her arm.
“Don’t touch me.” She jerked away from his touch, and it stabbed him in the heart.
“Brynn.” He softened his tone and held his palms up. “Can we just talk about this? This is one big misunderstanding. I love you. You know that.”
Her rage- and hurt-filled eyes met his as she tipped her chin. “Do I? I thought I knew a lot of things about you, and it seems I was wrong.”
Aaron growled in frustration, panic rising with every breath. “I started falling in love with you the moment you walked down that aisle.” He stepped into her space, needing to get close to her—to convince her this was all a mistake.
Brynn shook her head and crossed her arms over her heaving chest as she stood before him. Pain reflected in her shiny emerald gaze.
“I fucked up by not telling you, okay?” His shoulders slumped in defeat. “I’m not your ex. Haven’t I proved that yet?”
She swallowed. “I can’t do this anymore.” She tugged the ring from her finger and set it on the nightstand.
The blood drained from Aaron’s face. “You’re really leaving me?”
She straightened her spine. “Yes.”
“Don’t do this, Brynn. Take some time to cool off and we can talk about it more.”
“I would have, but . . . you sounded just like him and I...” She tilted her head up and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before she focused back on him. “I can’t be here right now.” She picked up her suitcase and set it on the ground. Grabbing the handle, she then moved to pass him.
“Sunshine, please?” He stepped in her way.
“Let me go, Aaron.”
