Page 96 of Leah

It did.

Twenty-Eight

Carter

How do you convince someone you’ve burned to take a chance on you?

It was simple.

You couldn’t.

Leah had become what I was. She was too haunted by all the hurt I had inflicted on her, and, as a result, I was living with the consequences.

I didn’t blame her. I didn’t hate her. Quite the fucking contrary, actually.

I knew exactly what she was going through. I knew how alone she was feeling, how confused she was, wanting to commit, but pulling away when she started to edge the waters.

She needed time.

And time was on my side.

After the club, I stayed away.

The months passed. The spotlight on her had long faded, and she was living her life again while I secretly tuned in every once in a while when the agony of not knowing got to be too much.

She was content. She was seeing other people. She had found a good job as a junior accountant. She had her hobbies and was living each day to its fullest. The grapevine—once closed to me—had told me that much.

But the loneliness was going to come after her like it did me.

I hated that she was seeing other people.

It pained me that she was wasting her time, while I held off entirely. I didn’t want anyone but her. I didn’t move on—I couldn’t. My soul was hers and if it meant being this empty shell my whole life, I’d do it.

What other choice did I have?

Leah needed to find herself, and if that meant letting me go—

Well, she couldn’t.

Goddammit, she wasmine.

The distractions weren’t going to be enough for her. Something was going to tip her over the edge and make her realize how fragile life was.

It might take her a month.

It might take her a year.

I was holding on.

For her.

For us.

God, I wantedus.

I could only hope one day she would want us, too.

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