Page 37 of Sweet Redemption

“Shit,” he mutters as his fingers fly across his screen. “She’s upstairs. Last door on the right.”

“Thank you,” I murmur and force one foot in front of the other as I climb the winding staircase. The Langleys’ home is beautiful. The entire ranch looks like something out of Yellowstone. I half expect Kevin Costner to step out of a room with a cowboy hat on. But I guess that’s what happens when your family trains some of the world’s most expensive racehorses.

I bite down on my lower lip, hesitant as I raise my knuckles to the door.

“Serena?” Olivia throws the door open, her face paling as tears fill my eyes. “What’s going on?”

My words get stuck in my throat as my eyes lock on Logan standing protectively behind her.

“How about I give you both some space?” he asks, and Liv wraps her arms around me and nods as Logan lets himself out of the room.

“Barbie,” she sighs and tucks my hair behind my ears as I wrap my arms around her. “You’re scaring me.”

“I’m scaring myself, Liv. I’m so fucking tired.” I pull back as my chest shakes. “What’s wrong with me?”

“Absolutely nothing is wrong with you, Serena. You’re going through hell. You need to find yourself again. You. Not who your dad wants you to be. Not who you used to be. You need to figure out what’s going to make you happy. And you need to do it outside of the perfect little box our family has had you in your whole life.”

“Why does it sound easy when you say it?” I ask, trying to control my spiraling thoughts. “I feel like I’m drowning again.”

“You’re not. You’re here with me. You’re safe, and you’re going to be okay.”

“I saw Hendrix today,” I admit as she guides me to the bed, and we both sit.

“And . . .”

“And . . . I want to hate him so goddamned badly, Livvy. And sometimes I think I do. Sometimes I want to scream at him. But sometimes, I look at him, and I see the only person I ever felt like I could be myself with.” She cocks her head to the side, and I smile through the tears. “Besides you.”

“Better.”

The room quiets as I breathe, trying to regain some semblance of control. Trying but failing miserably. “He texted tonight and wanted to know if I was with Rafe.”

“With him, like with him?”

I nod, and she laughs. “Have you ever considered that it’s just as hard for him as it is for you?”

She rests her head against the pillow, and I rest mine on her shoulder. “How could it be? He married her. They have a child together. He moved on. He was happy, and then he lost her. Knowing he’s been through that hell makes me feel like I’m being stupid and childish.”

“You are not childish or stupid, Serena. You’re hurt. He’s not the only person who lost something.”

I’m not sure how much time has passed when the door cracks open, followed by footsteps that stop on the other side of the bed.

“Is she okay?” Logan asks Liv, whose running her fingers through my hair.

“She will be,” Olivia says softly, and my heart sinks. She and I have always done this. We’ve crawled into each other’s beds and shared our secrets and our tears. We don’t hide from each other. But neither of us was ever married before. “Are you okay if she stays the night?”

“Here?” Logan asks, his voice comically high. “In our bed?”

“Our bed, huh?” she asks, and I wonder how long it’s going to take my beautiful cousin to realize she’s really falling for her fake husband.

“You’re sleeping in it with me.” Logan’s voice drops low, and I fight the urge to gag. “Aren’t you, wife?”

“I guess I am, husband.” Her teasing takes on a new tone, and I think I might vomit.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Logan. Just get in bed and get used to this. She’s your wife, but she’s my person, and I still trump you,” I finally snap without opening my eyes.

Livvy must agree with me because she laughs. “It’s a big bed, Logan. Don’t try to move me out of the way to get to my cousin, and we’ll be just fine.”

Based on the way the bed sinks, I think it’s safe to assume Logan chooses to go with it.