“I would have fought for you. I did fight for you!”
“I fought for you too, Evie.”
“Bullshit! All you did was hurt me, and now you just expect me to forgive you like it’s nothing! Like you didn’t ruin me for every other man who came into my life!”
“I wish I’d known that six years ago, but then my baby girl wouldn’t be here, and I wouldn’t give up my kids for anything. Despite the shitty fucking hand I was dealt with Tessa, she gave me Ethan and Ariel, and I wouldn’t change that for anything. They’re my everything.”
“What does Ariel have to do with me?”
“I saw you out at a bar one night. You were with this guy who had his hands all over you. I was seconds away from tearing him off you except you were smiling, laughing, soaking it all up. I couldn’t face the reality that I may have lost you, so again, I drank away my sorrow. The next morning, I woke up with Tessa. We didn’t sleep in the same bed. We never did. In my eyes, it wasn’t a real marriage.”
“Oh, I see… So you fucked your wife and then knocked her up again, and it’s suddenly my fault. What about all the other times you had sex with her? Am I to blame for those too?”
“I’ve fucked Tessa twice, and both times I don’t remember it.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Why would I lie to you? Now? After all this?”
“Because all you do is lie! You lied to Jax! You lied to me! You lied to yourself about not wanting me! I can’t tell the difference between your truths and lies!” I didn’t hesitate in spewing, “But here’s another truth for you! I hated you, Caleb Hawkins! Do you understand me? I still fucking hate you! But mostly...” I paused, reconsidering if I was really going to be honest with him.
Throwing caution to the wind, I yelled, “I hate that I have to lie to you about having a boyfriend in order to pretend like I don’t love you anymore! Because the truth is, the biggest hatred I have in my heart is that I can’t stop loving you!”
Before the last word flew out of my mouth, he was in my face, slamming his lips against mine and kissing me with a force I never expected.
“Caleb…” I rasped into his mouth. “I hate you. I hate that I can’t stop loving you, dreaming about you, wanting a future with you…”
He growled, sticking his tongue past my lips.
“I hate that you made me love your kids,” I breathed out against his mouth. “I hate that just thinking about you and them not being in my life everyday makes me hate you all over again.”
I yanked my lips away from his, thrashing around, desperately wanting to get out of his arms, but he wouldn’t let me. He held me tighter while both of us tried gaining control over the other.
“Evie, stop! Look at me! Just fucking look at me!”
I firmly closed my eyes, thrashing all around.
“Evie, please,” he begged in a voice I didn’t recognize.
“No! You stop! Let go of me!”
“Darlin’, look at me. Open your fucking eyes and look at me,” he demanded, gripping onto my face.
I was at my wits end, and he gently kissed all over my face, caressing me softly, showing me what I needed to feel. I surrendered to him.
To us.
“I’m sorry, Evie. I’m so fucking sorry, darlin’. Do you hear me?”
“Caleb…”
“I’ve always wanted you. I swear on my kids’ life. You’re all I ever wanted. Just you. No one else but you.”
I couldn’t take it anymore and pushed him to break free from his grasp.
“Stop! I hate you, Caleb! Do you hear me? I fucking hate you!” I shouted it over and over again, trying to make us both believe it.
However, he wouldn’t let up and continued caressing me, kissing me, whispering to me that he was sorry. So fucking sorry. Battling my hateful words with his loving ones. I could feel he was reaching his breaking point, as much as I was.
It wasn’t until he professed, “I love you, Evie Monroe. I fucking love you. I’ve always loved you, and I always will,” that I gave up all the fight left inside of me.
Going full speed, I kissed him as he pulled me against his torso. I wrapped my legs around his waist before he settled me onto the table to stand in between my legs. Glass fell to the floor, shattering around us.
He pinned me beneath him, locking his body on top of mine.
Panting profusely.
Sweating.
Groaning.
Moaning.
Overwhelming my emotions and overriding my thoughts the only way he ever could.
“I’m not asking you to forget, darlin’. I’m begging you to forgive me. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to you how sorry I am for breaking your heart. I love you, Evie. You’re my whole world.”