She moved toward the table; her boyfriend glued to her side, her father following. They talked, moving further inside. She didn’t seem to listen.
I took my chance.
Before she could step into the dining room, I reached for her and wrapped my fingers around her hand.
“Kitten.” My lips stretched into a smile.
She let out a small, startled sound just for a moment before she jumped against me, arms thrown around my neck, squeezing tight enough to cut off my breath.
“Hi, stranger,” she said. A soft laugh slipped out. “What are you doing here?”
I lifted a brow. “I grew up here.”
She drew her brows, confused. Her gaze moved around the room, realizing where she was.
“Shit,” she muttered. “I knew it looked familiar.”
I chuckled, holding her gaze.
She bit her lip, twisting a strand of her hair around her finger. As she kept it there, I caught a faint bruise along her neck.
My hand moved so quickly. My fingertips brushed her skin.
She hissed.
“I will kill him.”
“No,” she whispered. “I fell.” Her fingers closed around my wrist. “I promise.”
“Your promises were built on lies.” I pulled my hand free. “How many times did you fall?” My voice rose. She lifted her hand, trying to quiet me, but I didn’t stop. “How many lies are you going to tell to cover for him?”
I stepped closer, cupping her cheeks, forcing her to look at me. “How many promises are you going to break to me just because you can’t leave him?”
I let her go and took a step back. “How many promises are you going to break to yourself just because your mother approves of him?”
“It’s not that simple.” She turned away, folding her arms around herself. The moment her fingers brushed over her skin. I saw it. The ring.
I tried to breathe. I should have walked away. I should have done it a long time ago. But she was the only place that had ever felt like home when mine stopped being one.
“Kitten,” I said, quieter now, slipping a card into her hand. “I’m one call away. You know that, right?”
She took it, but didn’t look at me. Her back stayed turned as she walked off.
And once again, I stood there and let her go.
Something twisted around my heart. My lungs fought for air, but I kept it in, swallowed it down, jaw clenched so no one would see.
She turned around and rushed back to me, blinking fast, trying so hard to hold her tears.
“Give me ten reasons why I shouldn’t marry him,” she said.
I looked at her, my words caught in my throat.
The promise I made to myself five years ago pressed against my ribs. I wasn’t a good man for her. There was something dark inside of me. And no matter how deep I tried to bury it, it kept coming back. And if that was the man I was becoming… maybe she really was better off with him. He could give her a future I never could.
And I could still protect her. Just not from beside her.
“That’s what I thought,” she said softly.
