Locking eyes with Sophie again, I admitted for the first time, “I love you. 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 Ben. I’m so sorry I didn’t fight for you then, but I’ll go to war for you now. No one is going to keep me from you.”
* * *
Staring deep into her eyes, I vowed, “Not even you.”
TWENTY-TWO
SOPHIE
NOW
I couldn’t believe what had just happened.
I stood there shocked and dismayed, trying to process everything that had gone down in a short amount of time. It was one thing after another, and I couldn’t keep up with the turn of events.
His mom stayed quiet as she walked toward the door, but at the last second, she turned and threw her arms around him. Jax didn’t move an inch. I don’t even think he was breathing.
She whispered something in his ear before leaving.
I watched my mom make her way over to him next, and she just stared at him for a couple of seconds. Her shocked expression quickly turned to shame.
I never expected what happened next. Not for one minute.
“I’m so sorry, Jax,” she apologized, and I placed my hand over my heart, trying to hold it together when it felt like my life was falling apart.
“I was wrong about you. I thought…” She shook her head, and I knew what she wanted to address.
When her gaze settled on me, I shook my head, answering her silent question about what she was asking me.
With her focus back on Jax, she added, “I hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me for guiding Sophie away from you. If I could go back, I would… I’m just … so incredibly sorry.”
He slowly nodded, backing away from her before leaving the room. It didn’t surprise me that he couldn’t form words. Jax had always been such a private person, and airing his skeletons wasn’t an easy task for him.
What was he hiding for his father?
I racked my brain, making my way to my mom. Aware that Jax would need some space, I didn’t follow him.
Instead, I faced my mom.
“He doesn’t know?” she questioned, looking at me with regret.
“No.”
“Are you going to tell him?”
“I think I have to now.”
She grabbed my hand, holding it up to her chest. “Sophie, I owe you an apology too. All I wanted was to protect you. I didn’t want you to go through what I did. I didn’t want Ben to go through what you did. I was wrong, and I’m so unbelievably sorry.”
“I know.”
“I thought he’d turn out like his father. I just…” She deeply sighed. “Can you forgive me?”
“It’s not me who has to forgive you, Mom.”
“Do you think he can?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t think he’s forgiven me either.”