Page 110 of His Virgin Romance Series

“But you don’t know whether you can forgive me, do you?” she asked.

I could tell she was trying really hard not to cry. I wanted to reach out for her, but my pride kept me from moving. “No… I don’t.”

I saw one pearly tear fall from her eyes and then she looked away from me as more started to fall. I just sat there and let her cry, but I did reach out to take her hand. She gripped my hand tightly and returned the pressure, as though I had just offered her a lifeline. We sat like that for several minutes, until Rachel’s sobbing finally faded, and the tears began to dry on her face.

“I know what I did broke our relationship,” Rachel said, and the crying seemed to have given her voice strength. “I know that I broke your trust in me. I know you must hate me now.”

“I don’t hate you,” I said firmly. “I could never hate you.”

“After what my brother did—”

“Brent’s actions have nothing to do with you,” I said firmly. “I don’t blame you for the fact that your brother framed me.”

“But you do blame me…”

“It’s not blame, Rachel,” I said. “It’s hurt. My life…it’s been hard, and I haven’t always had a lot of people to turn to. But the people I do have in my life… I need them to trust me. I need them to believe in me. Because there might be days when my past comes up to haunt me and I need support from the people closest to me.”

“I know,” Rachel said. “I realize that now and I see what a huge mistake I made. The truly awful part is that I didn’t think you were capable of doing what you were being accused of. It’s just that…”

“You chose your brother—”

“Yes,” she said passionately. “Only, it was the wrong decision. I meant what I said on that stand in the courtroom the other day, Jared. Brent may be my brother, I have parents who I lived with for eighteen years of my life…but you are my family. It just took all this insanity to help me see that. And I promise you; it will never happen again.”

I was silent for a long time, and I could feel Rachel’s fingers tense in my palm. I let go of her hand, and she withdrew it without a fight.

“Is there any hope for us?” she asked quietly.

“I don’t know right now, Rachel,” I said honestly.

“I love you,” she said softly and earnestly. “Do you still love me?”

“Of course, I do.” I nodded, unable to meet her eyes. “But… I need time.”

“Then take all the time you need,” she told me. “I’ll wait.”

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