AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Not anymore.
Tomorrow came early.
“Katelyn.” He clicked off the TV.
“Bren, what…” She looked at him, and when she saw the expression on his face, her smile fell in an instant. “…what is it? What’s wrong?”
He rubbed the hammered silver plate on his wrist. “That was my attorney on the phone.” Katelyn took his hand in both of hers. “I’m, uh, going to be charged with Salena’s murder.”
She sat stunned and began to slowly shake her head back and forth. “No.”
He saw the tears pool in her pretty eyes. Again, he was the one to put them there, after he promised himself he’d never be the reason that she cried.
Katelyn shook her head faster. “How can they do this? You didn’t do it!” Her tears were falling in earnest now. “I know you didn’t do it!”
Brendan held her in his arms against his chest, smoothing her hair down her back. “Shh, shh. Don’t cry, baby.”
Please don’t cry. You’re fucking killing me.
He knew it was a futile plea. The dam had broken. It was only going to get worse.
She sniffled, nodding her head. “It’s gonna be okay. You didn’t do anything. We’ll get through this.”
Maybe.
But he wasn’t going to do that to her. He couldn’t put her through what might be years of legal bullshit. A trial. She’d end up with a man who’d once been charged with murder and got off, the shadow of suspicion dogging the rest of his days, or a man who would spend the rest of his life in prison. He couldn’t be selfish. Katelyn deserved better than either of those options.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Brendan took a deep breath, trying to get air into his lungs. He squeezed her hand in his and shook his head. “No, we won’t.”
“What do you mean?” She tilted her head. “Of course we will, baby.”
That muscle in his chest was squeezing. It hurt. It fucking hurt. She had to see it in his face because hers was crumpling.
Fuck you, Salena! I’m glad you’re dead and I hope you rot in hell for this, you vile fucking bitch!
“I mean I’m not letting you go through this.” Brendan kissed her, tasting the salt of her tears on her lips. Already missing the sweet. He forced himself to pull away, holding her wet cheeks in his hands, wiping away her tears with his thumbs. “I love you too much.”
He kissed her forehead, holding his lips there as he choked on the words. “So I’m letting you go.”
She just sat there. Dazed. Blinking the tears from her eyes.
He stood. “I’ll call you a car.”
Katelyn glanced up then. Stormy aqua eyes, bloodshot and red-rimmed. He saw the pain, the hurt, the confusion he put there.
“No.” She quickly got off the sofa and grabbed her coat. Her bag.
“Katelyn.”
She ignored him and put on her boots.
“Katelyn.”
She looked at him then, her expression blank. “It’s Katie.”
She didn’t even put on her coat before she ran out the door.
