Page 148 of Only Fate

“Essie,” Adrian rasps, “you had no idea he wasn’t guilty. You were a teenager, for Christ’s sake. You never saw the driver. You saw a truck, and that’s what you told the police. You didn’t pick him out of a lineup. You told them what you saw. They did all the work from there.”

My shoulders slump. “I’ve told myself that in my head all night, but it doesn’t change that almost a decade of his life was stolen from him.”

“And now, we’ll give that back.”

“You tried to do that, and I got mad at you for it.”

“No, you got mad because I wasn’t up-front about it. Don’t you dare put that blame on yourself as well. You didn’t get madat me for helping with Earl’s case. You got mad that Ikeptit from you, which is understandable.” He shakes his head, clasping his hands together and resting them on the table. “Don’t let me off the hook for that.”

“Adrian,” I murmur and go silent.

I don’t know what to say.

“I hurt you, Essie,” he goes on, his voice choking up. “I begged you to give me a second chance after my first fuckup and then messed up again. Both times, I could’ve easily protected your heart had I told you. But I wasn’t, and that’s something I’ll always regret.”

“Why should I trust you with my heart again then?”

“You shouldn’t.”

I wince, drawing back in my chair.

“But I’m begging you to. One more chance. I know it’s asking a lot. It’d be you trusting your heart with someone who didn’t cherish it before.”

I sit there, my back straight, and my gaze rests on his.

There’s an apology in his eyes.

Remorse.

“Okay,” I say. “One more chance.”

Some people might say I’m letting him off too easy.

Maybe I am. But at this point, I don’t care.

I know what I want.

Cutting Adrian out of my life would be like cutting out a piece of myself. He makes me feel comfortable and secure in my own skin. I’ve loved him for years, even when we weren’t together.

“Keep me accountable,” he goes on, his tone stern. “Make me be a better man for you, or drop me. The moment I saw you, I knew you were who I’d been looking for my entire life. I don’t want to lose you.”

Tears are in my eyes.

Jesus.

Do these things ever turn off?

After all this chaos passes, I swear to God, I’d better not cry for a year.

Unless it’s from stubbing my toe or something. But still, I should be stronger than that too.

Adrian presses his hand to his chest. “I’m yours, Essie, until the day I die. I love you.” He stands, moving to my chair, and pulls me to my feet.

We face each other, our mouths only inches apart, and I trace my finger along his lips. “And I love you. I’myoursuntil the day I die.”

47

Two Months Later

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