“I want to believe you, Damien. I really do. But if I’ve learned anything from my past, it's that words are easy. Your actions matter more.” I stood up straighter and placed my hand on his chest, forcing him to step away from me. “And right now, I don’t trust you.”
Damien’s skin paled. “Don’t say that, angel.”
“You should go, Damien. I promise, I won’t make things weird between us. Maybe we can eventually be friends again, but right now, that’s all I can handle.”
Damien’s eyes searched mine, looking for any sign of hesitancy. If he’d looked hard enough, he would have found it, but I’d let my heart guide me for fartoo long, and it had only led to pain. Now, I had to be more rational—put my well-being over the fickle organ in my chest. Right now, it was screaming for me to get some space from Damien.
He reached out, brushing his thumb along my jaw. “I’ll take you in any way I can have you, Bri. But I’m not done fighting for you—for us. I spent five weeks without you, and that’s enough to know I want a lifetime with you.”
I slammed my eyes shut. “Damien, you need to stop saying things like that.”
“Never, angel. I’ll give you time, but I’m not going far. I'm gonna prove to you that you can trust me again.”
THIRTY-NINE
“What are you doing here?”
Brianna’s hazel eyes met mine, and I held my breath, still getting used to being close to her again. It had been only two days since our talk in her apartment, and I was done waiting for her to come to me. I’d messaged her a bunch of times since she insisted I leave, but they all sat unanswered, and as much as it stung, I deserved it.
But I’d never been good at standing on the sidelines.
As Brianna stepped out into the autumn air, her eyes lit up, either from annoyance or confusion, I wasn’t sure. Her hazel eyes were wide, and I found myself lost in them. God, I missed her. When we were apart, I’d convinced myself I played up our connection in my mind, that it couldn’t have been as powerful as I remembered.
I was wrong.
Even with ten feet between us, she called out to me, igniting a hurricane of lust and longing in my veins. Desperation clawed through me, missing the way she felt against my chest, needing to feel her nails tracing my spine. I hated that I’d only gotten tomake love to her once—to taste her lips and know I owned her heart as much as she owned mine. But then, the next day, my world shattered, and like a fool, I let it ruin what had taken months to build between us.
Everything else in my life had returned to normal. I spent my nights with the team, rebuilding the bonds that had fractured when I left without a word. The PT sessions were grueling, but I pushed through them, determined to get myself back to peak condition. A week ago, I’d finally gotten clearance from the doctor to lose the crutches, and it seemed like the biggest victory so far. The brace would have to stick around for a while longer, but I wasn’t about to take it for granted. Just being able to stand on my own brought tears to my eyes—finally proof I’d made progress.
And while that had seemed like the greatest fight of my life, none of that progress mattered without Brianna at my side. I could handle anything—the PT, not being able to play baseball, all of it. None of it compared to the pain of losing her, especially knowing it was all my fault.
But I’d meant what I said the last time we spoke. I wasn’t done fighting for her. I’d never be done fighting for her. She might not want me right now, but I was a stubborn bastard. For most of my life, I applied that determination to baseball, letting it fuel me as I walked onto the field.
After I left Brianna’s that night, I’d met up with the team and made a game plan to help me win back her trust. Although her words might have said we were done, I knew her better than I knew myself. She was hiding behind the hurt, letting that protect her heart when I’d broken it. While I hated myself for putting those thoughts in her mind, I was determined to prove it was a mistake, not a pattern.
I pushed off my car, walking to the entrance ofBrianna’s apartment building. Her steps had faltered when she spotted me, and now, she stood there, almost frozen in place. As I moved toward her, I took in her outfit. It was a far cry from the athletic gear she usually wore on the weekend, trading it in for a sleek black pencil skirt and a dark green silk shirt, topped off with a charcoal peacoat. The color played up the greens in her eyes, and once again, I found myself lost in them.
Clearing my throat, I moved in front of her, handing out the coffee I’d picked up earlier. “It’s Sunday morning.”
She stared down at the coffee before taking it with a long sigh. “Yes, Damien, I know that, but you still haven’t answered my question.”
“On Sundays, you meet up with your family for service. Thought I’d go with you.”
Brianna’s eyes flared. “What? How did you even?—”
“Angel, you’d leave my bed at the same time every Sunday, telling me you had to go to church or your mother would disown you. Did you think I didn’t listen?”
She chewed her lower lip. That was exactly what she’d thought, but as I talked with the guys, I realized I knew so much about Brianna’s world, though I was yet to be an actual part of it. She’d gotten used to doing everything on her own, and while I’d never stand in her way to fight her own battles, I sure as hell would stand at her side.
Brianna snapped herself out of her daze then shook her head. “You are not coming with me.”
I shrugged as I turned back toward my car. “Says online everyone’s welcome. I think that includes me.” Her mouth dropped open, and she spluttered some sounds, none coherent enough to form a word. I pulled open the passenger-side door and motioned for her to get in. “Are you coming or what, angel?”
“What is this, Damien?” she hissed as she stepped closer, her eyes darting between me and the offered ride.
“This is me fighting for you, angel. Told you I wouldn’t let you go that easily. Besides, I’m selfish when it comes to you, and I’ll take any time I can get, even if it’s just a ride to your church.”
She stared at me, and I hated the uncertainty in her eyes. As much as I wanted to reach out to her, it needed to be her choice. I waited with bated breath as she stood on the curb, praying she’d take the step toward me. With a beep of her phone, she groaned and climbed into my car. “You’renotstaying. This is just a ride because I can’t be late.”
