Page 26 of Parrish

“Yes, we each give each other two truths and a lie. Whoever can guess the lie is the winner.”

“We still playing for scars?”

“No,” I say with a shake of the head. He already owns all my scars and I own his. “This time we’re playing for dreams.”

Cocking his head to the side, he contemplates the wage.

“Dreams,” he repeats.

Realistically no dream either of us share with the other will ever come true after tomorrow.

“Humor me, Jack,” I plead.

Sighing, he grabs a napkin and wipes his hands.

“Fine,” he agrees. “You first.”

I shake my head.

“You went first last time,” I remind him. “C’mon, let’s see if you got any better at the game.” Last time we played, I was easily able to pinpoint the lie.

“Okay,” he says, leaning his elbows on the table. “I’m madly in love with you,” he continues, uncurling his index finger, listing the first revelation. Adding his middle finger to the air, he goes on to speak of the second. “I’m tired, Reina. I’m so fucking tired and then I look at you, and I forget I’m fucking crazy.” His words trail off and he pauses for a beat, studying me intently.

“If I thought there was a shot of me winning this fucking battle, I’d never rest another day, not a fucking second. I’d keep fighting if there was a guarantee I could be the man you deserve,” he says, confirming what I always knew to be true.

“I want you to move on,” he says hoarsely. “I don’t want you to waste your life with me. Not no more.”

Refusing to believe the man who just pledged his undying love to me in a church is throwing our union away, I point an accusing finger at him and shake my head profusely.

“That’s the lie.”

“Damn fucking straight it’s a lie,” he growls as he leans back and cracks his knuckles. A sense of relief washes over me as he fixes me with a hard stare. “I don’t want anyone loving, touching, fucking or worshipping what’s mine.”

A ragged breath leaves my lips as I hold his stare and watch him run his fingers through his salt and pepper hair.

“I don’t want it at all, but should a man come into your life, someone who will treat you and Danny like you both deserve, a man who cherishes you and loves you in all the ways I won’t be able to…well, I—”

“You’ll what?” I ask trying to control my temper. “Give me your blessing?”

“Fuck, no,” he mutters, looking away. “Hell, I don’t know what the fuck I’m trying to say. What I want and what is right are two different things, and I never was much for doing the noble thing,” he says, turning his attention back to me. “If I was a good man, I wouldn’t have asked you to recite your vows the night before I left you for thirteen years. I wouldn’t expect you to wait for me, especially not in my condition. It’s selfish as fuck and you deserve better.”

“Do you love me?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“The most important one you’ll ever answer,” I tell him, pushing the food into the center of the table before I lean forward and lock my eyes with his. “Do you love me, Jack?”

“I love you more than anything in this fucking world,” he growls.

“Then stop breaking my damn heart,” I demand. “I don’t want another man. Not now, not six months or thirteen years from now…not ever. Please don’t tarnish the love we have for one another with this nonsense. I knew what I married then, and I know tonight too. You’re not an easy man to love, Jack Parrish but you’re the only man I’ll ever fucking love.”

“God broke the mold when he made you, Sunshine,” he replies.

“I’m pretty sure he broke the mold when he made you too,” I say, reaching across the table. Lacing our fingers together, I squeeze his hands. “You gave me a beautiful life, Jack. Never doubt that.”

“I wish I could’ve given you more,” he admits hoarsely.

“You can,” I whisper. “You can take me home and fuck my brains out,” I tease, waggling my eyebrows suggestively.

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