I fell to my knees and crawled toward Elle while her shocked, sweet, cinnamon eyes landed on me. Through the people, I begged, and shoes trampled on my hands with apologies, but I ignored all the pain because I had to grovel for forgiveness. She had to see I knew I was a stupid, ignorant son of a bitch who didn’t deserve her, but I was selfish, and I’d do anything to have her. I’d do whatever it took to be a part of her wonderful family.
I stopped at my girls’ feet and kneeled while staring up at them with imploring eyes.
“First, I want to congratulate Faith on an outstanding performance. Second, please forgive me. From the deepest part of my heart, I’m sorry, kiddo. I never meant to hurt you, and I’ll do whatever I can to make everything up to you,” I pleaded with my hands together. “Until I take my last breath, I promise to always love you and your Mommy, and to never desert you.”
“Mommy?” Faith glanced up at Elle with confusion and back at me.
I wasn’t fucking good with kids, but this was what I felt in my heart. It was necessary for them to see. I needed Faith and Elle to understand how deeply sorry I was.
Elle leaned down to Faith’s level and squeezed her hand.
“Wait right here, sweetheart.” Elle smiled but turned to me and lost the affection. She grabbed my fuzzy costume and yanked me up off my knees. “You... Come with me.”
“Jesus, easy, princess,” I sighed.
“Go easy on you, Jack? Nothing has been easy about how you have treated me and my child.” Elle glared at me and placed a hand on her hip. “First, you humiliated me in front of my father, and now, you embarrass Faith in front of her peers?”
“Mommy... I’m okay. I think it’s nice what Mr. Timber did for me,” Faith spoke up behind Elle.
“Thanks, kiddo.” I beamed.
“Jack. You made your intentions quite clear, and I—” I shushed Elle with a finger against her lips.
“No. I didn’t. I made the biggest mistake of my life. Letting you go and pushing Faith away was something I should never have done. Somewhere along the way, my feelings for you grew, and I want to be with you because I love you for the independent, amazing woman you are.” I got down on my knees in front of Elle and held onto her waist. “Please let me prove to you every day for the rest of my life how sorry I am.”
A crowd had gathered around us, but I didn’t give a damn. All I saw was Elle. Her beautiful teary eyes, peering down at me as I pondered what the hell she was thinking. She was usually readable, but now she wasn’t. My mind reeled with the thought of losing her, and I squeezed her hips tighter, unable to let her go.
“Please, Jack, stop. You hurt me too much,” Elle whispered and placed her hands over mine. “Let me go.”
“No, I can’t. I won’t.” Tears fell down my face, and I shook her waist. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have ever hurt you or your child.”
“You humiliated me, Jack...” Elle took my hands into hers. “You let me go too easily, as if I were nothing, and I should do the same to you.”
“But you aren’t nothing. You are—” Elle released my hands.
“It’s too late. The damage is done.” Elle interrupted and pointed a finger at me. “I saw you with another woman after I told you I loved you. Do you realize how heartbreaking that was?”
“I know... I know...” I got up off the floor and ran my hands down my face. “But that was my sister. Not someone else.”
I held out my hands to Elle, full of wet tears and makeup. My appearance was probably hideous, but I didn’t fucking care. All I treasured was Elle and her daughter.
“What?” Elle exclaimed as she pressed her fingertips into her forehead. “Sage? I can’t believe this. So, you lied to me about your feelings and then tried to hurt me by pretending to be with someone else?”
Fuck. Her explanation of what I had done sounded awful. Elle had every rightnotto forgive me, but I couldn’t fucking deny the love I had for her that was wreaking havoc through every fiber of my being.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Yes.”
“Come on, sweetheart.” Elle took Faith’s hand. “Let’s go.”
“No, no, no...” I shook my head repeatedly, in full-blown panic, and reached out for my girls. “I screwed up. I never should’ve done such a horrible thing. Please don’t walk away. You both are my everything.”
Elle stepped out of reach, and she took Faith with her. I was torn up inside. I hadn’t made anything better and had only made the situation worse, but I had to fucking get through to her.
“And that’s supposed to make everything better?” Elle threw a hand up in the air.
“No...” I shrugged and gazed into her eyes. “But it proves to you that I love you because I tried to do whatever I could to save you from me. Until I couldn’t think and wasn’t capable of living with the grave mistake I had made. I can’t live next door to you without you in my world.”
“Then move away!” Elle shouted through tears she wasn’t capable of holding back any longer and hugged Faith close. “Because I never want to see you again. Stay away from me and my daughter. I mean it, Jack.”
