Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
I turned and strode for the door.
“Where are you going? I need help with my tea.”
I stopped and looked back at her. “Help yourself. I won’t be back.”
“Monroe!” she yelled as I marched out of the room toward the front door. “Monroe!”
I yanked it open.
“You selfish, ungrateful wee bitch!”
Closing my emotions to her screaming, I slammed her door and got into my car.
Every muscle in my body ached as I forced myself to remain in control. I drove from her house to the caravan, parked, and stepped out to feel a blustery, icy breeze sweeping up the sand dunes from the water.
I pushed into it, eager for its swift caresses through my hair as I stumbled down the dunes and onto the beach. My strides were quick as I walked across the sand toward the shore. As if the universe knew I needed the solace, there was no one else here.
My feet hit the shoreline, the water soaking my boots as all the emotion I’d pushed down boiled up inside me. My chest heaved, my shoulders lifting as I struggled to breathe through the magnitude of it.
A scream tore from my lungs, turning into a sob as my knees gave way and I hit the wet sand. Pain so old and deep had finally ripped its way out, and I couldn’t have stopped my body’s wracking cries if I tried.
“Roe!” I heard the voice like a memory in my mind and ignored it.
“Roe!” It sounded louder now.
Then I jolted as strong arms wound around me, and my chin was forced upward.
Brodan.
“Roe, what the hell happened?”
I couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. Just collapsed against him as the sobs spilled out from that corner of my heart I’d locked up for so long.
His arms tightened around me, and I felt his chin on my head. “Fuck, Sunset, you’re scaring the hell out of me.” When my crying didn’t ease, he squeezed me tight. “I’m here, Roe. I’ve got you. Shh, it’s okay. I’ve got you.”
I didn’t know how much time passed in Brodan’s arms on the cold beach, but eventually my sobs eased, even as the pain circled my ribs like the past was holding on far too tightly.
Then realization sunk in.
Who was comforting me.
Someone I did not want or need comfort from ever again.
I shoved Brodan away and stumbled to my feet as he fell on his arse in surprise. He gaped up at me, looking so much like the young boy I used to love that I felt my heart breaking all over again.
“Sunset?”
I flinched at the nickname. “Don’t,” I seethed. “Don’t you dare.”
“Roe …” Brodan got to his feet, towering over me again. He wore nothing but a T-shirt and joggers, the T-shirt stretching over his impressive shoulders, making me feel small in his shadow. “What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Is it …” Something like fear flickered across his face. “Is this about us?”
I scoffed, “No. It has nothing to do with you. When you left on Sunday night, I showered and scrubbed my body until my skin was raw.”
He winced.
“And vowed to never give a damn about you again. So … this has nothing to do with you, and I definitely don’t need you, of all people, comforting me right now.” I turned to leave, but then Brodan was in front of me. He held up his hands in a gesture to stop me.
“Please. Roe, let’s talk. I have so much to say.”
“I think you made yourself very clear. It was a revenge fuck, right?”
Horror slackened his expression, and I faltered a little. “No,” he said hoarsely, taking a step toward me, but he stopped when I retreated. “No, it wasn’t that. I don’t know why I said that to you, and I’m not even angry about you sleeping with Arran. I know you were both wasted that night … it was what came after. You abandoned me, Monroe. That’s what I’m angry about.”
Disbelief renewed the rage I had only seconds ago been determined not to feel toward him. “I abandoned you?” I stared at him incredulously. “I was humiliated, and you made me feel guilty, as if I’d cheated on you when you’d made it perfectly clear that you were in a serious relationship with someone else. A relationship, I might add, you told me you’d never be in, which was a lie. You just didn’t want to be in a relationship with me!
“You messed with my emotions for years. But I was made to feel like the bad guy. And you never came after me. You threw me away at my first mistake after thirteen years of friendship. You were the one who was supposed to come after me. But you didn’t. You were all I had. I wasn’t all you had.” Tears, stupid, frustrating tears, stung my eyes. “You weren’t the one who was abandoned, Brodan.”