Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 159208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 796(@200wpm)___ 637(@250wpm)___ 531(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 159208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 796(@200wpm)___ 637(@250wpm)___ 531(@300wpm)
How the hell do I do this?
“The doctor says Wyatt should be a lot better off in a week, so you don’t need to worry.” I take a deep breath, knowing what I have to do. “Dakota, you’ll be better, too. I meant to contact you sooner. If it wasn’t for this emergency, I would have.”
“You had your reasons.” She rolls one sleek shoulder. “Though you could’ve at least texted...I would’ve understood. You had me scared, and you worried the rest of the office, too.”
A soft rain starts. I grab Dakota’s arm, pulling us both under the awning before I release her like she’ll burn me.
Distance, dammit.
Separation.
We need it.
“That brings me to my point,” I say slowly, gathering my words. “What happened last week can’t ever happen again.”
I wait for her to nod, her eyes glittering in the quiet rain and hazy lights.
“I’ve made a hard decision. All I can ever give you is baggage, Dakota. I won’t trouble you with that shit anymore.”
Her face screws up in shock. Instant hurt.
“What baggage? What are you talking about?” She holds a fist to her chest.
“I’m leaving you alone. You won’t have to—”
“Oh my God! You’re...are you stupid?” she sputters. “Lincoln, I’m pissed because you stopped bothering me with anything. You verbally shot me in front of the entire staff and then you disappeared. You said we were nothing.”
It’s like a fucking movie.
Right on cue, lightning rips the sky. That early summer rain turns to an all-out storm, beating the air.
Dakota stares out at the mess and looks back at me.
How do I make her understand?
“I’ll be the first to admit mistakes were made. Entirely mine. Not yours.” I jab a thumb at my chest for emphasis. “What happened when that asshole showed up swinging a knife—I had to step in. That part was right. The rest of it was where we went wrong. I crushed a man’s face and just between you and me, the outcome would’ve been the same whether he rushed us or not. I can’t be that person again. I panicked.”
“You panicked? You panicked?” She shakes her head violently. “My psycho ex could’ve killed us if you hadn’t punched him. Then you stabbed me anyway with that stupid denial in front of everyone. And you think you get to panic?”
“I only—fuck. It never should’ve escalated to that point, whether it was necessary or not. Maybe the little idiot wouldn’t have charged if I hadn’t pushed him.” I clamp my mouth shut. “Don’t you get it? It’s hard to think straight when I’m around you. You make me too insane, too reckless, too passionate. That’s a side of myself I unleashed once, and it almost cost me everything.”
She looks at me, totally bewildered.
I haven’t told her about the man I beat when I caught him cheating with my ex, but that’s not the point.
I’m not admitting what she’s really done to me, horror of horrors.
She made my dumbass fall in love.
What else is there to say to that?
We should be done. More words can only make this worse.
“Oh, Lincoln. You sad, strange man...” She steps toward me.
I take a halting step back, and I’d rather break my own leg.
Goddammit, will she stop making this so hard?
If she gets any closer, I’m boned. Because I’ll kiss her, and that’s a one-way ticket to ruin.
Her bottom lip quivers with rejection, this faint, desperate hope fading in her gaze.
Damn, Dakota, please don’t cry.
Don’t waste your tears and your love on the rain, on me.
Don’t make me lose my resolve.
“I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. You’re the last person I ever wanted to hurt, sweetheart.” I pause, my tongue on fucking fire. “I can’t undo what’s happened, but I can prevent more damage.”
“I—I still don’t understand. What do you mean? What happened that’s made you so afraid?”
I set my jaw so hard I’m about to crack a molar.
More explaining won’t help.
She wears the same heartbroken expression she did on the street that day. At least she isn’t crying yet.
“For you, I’ll make this easy because it’s my fuckup and it’s unforgivable,” I say. “I’m stepping away from the company. A long leave of absence. Your job will be safe and you won’t report to me anymore. I never should’ve gotten involved with an employee, but it won’t come at your expense—”
“Just an employee? That’s all I am to you?”
Her face is killing me.
She’s not “just” anything and she knows it. I need to get this over with.
“I’m saving you from the fallout. Your life was trashed once by a big dumbass leaving you out in the cold. Not this time. I’ll go into total exile before I let that happen. Honestly, Wyatt deserves my time off, too. Whatever support I can lend to his recovery, but—” I can’t finish. My throat knots, cutting off my air supply.