AllFreeNovel
Share Us
David was my problem, not his.
Therefore, I had to make the decision for him.
“Brady …” The phone dropped from my hands, as I no longer had the strength to hold it. “I?—”
“There’s only one way to end this,” he said, once again trumping my thoughts with his. “Since I can’t predict how he’s going to strike, I need to prevent him from even trying.”
I nodded. “I know.” I unraveled my legs, bent my knees, and pulled them against my chest, holding them as I rocked. “Damn it, I know.”
“I have a solution. That’s what I want to talk to you about.”
I couldn’t believe we’d reached this place.
I’d thought Brady would be the man I would marry.
I’d thought he’d be the father of my children.
My happily ever after.
But David had ruined that.
He was taking that happiness away from me.
Because he couldn’t have me.
And he was forcing me to make this decision.
“Before you say anything, I need to get this out.” I kept the emotion in my chest, not letting it travel to my throat or as high as my eyes. I needed to stay as strong as possible or I’d never get through this.
“When I left David, when I realized what that meant and what that was going to look like, I knew my life would never be the same. Just like when I lost my parents, things would always be different for me, and it’s something I’ve accepted.” The rocking made my stomach feel worse, so I let each knee fall to the side, pressing my feet together and wrapping my fingers around them.
“I’ve learned to find happiness in the little moments. Things that most people wouldn’t even recognize, and that’s why I know we’ll be okay—why both of us will be … okay.”
My memory took me back to all the sunsets I’d watched from the windows of my hotel rooms, walking through lobbies to hear the laughter and chatter from other guests so I wouldn’t feel so alone.
“I don’t want to do this—oh God, I don’t, Brady. I can’t even imagine my life without you, but there’s no other choice?—”
“Don’t say it. Don’t even think it. It’s not happening.” He pushed himself forward, holding my face. “Do you hear me? It’s not happening.”
“Brady—”
“David isn’t going to come between us. It’s not what you want, and it’s sure as fuck not what I want.”
I could no longer stop the tears. My strength to keep them in my eyes was gone.
This was just too much.
Because this wasn’t the first time we’d had a conversation like this, when he’d told me that David wasn’t going to get in the middle of us.
Yet here we were.
Again.
And now, it was even worse.
“H-his texts,” I cried, knowing what I was going to have to tell Brady and knowing how much it was going to hurt. And knowing this would be one of the last conversations we’d ever have. “He wants y-you to make a choice.”
“And I have.”
