Page 32 of The Desperate Warrior

She barked out a brittle laugh. “But you did let me go. And for what? Some idiotic excuse?”

“My son’s not an idiotic excuse,” he growled.

Her voice pitched high. “Do you really expect me to believe that this was all about Trevor and some trouble he got into at school? What kind of a moron do you take me for?”

“It’s the truth.” He looked her in the eyes. “I was trying to do right by Trevor, but then, when I almost lost you … it put everything into perspective. I need you, Jules.”

“If it took me almost dying for you to figure out how you feel about me, then that’s a crying shame.”

“Wait—no. That’s not what I meant.” He leaned forward, urgency seeping into his tone. “I was confused, Jules. Torn up about Trevor.”

“You broke up with me because your son might have bullied some kids? And somehow, that justified cutting me out of your life? Explain to me how that makes any sense.”

“I felt like I had to be there for him. I thought that if I moved back in under the same roof, then maybe I could make a difference.”

She gave him a hard stare. He might be able to read her like a book, but she could read him too. “No. You were scared. You had second thoughts, and Trevor gave you an out.”

“That’s not it,” he said quickly. “That’s not it at all.”

“Then what?” The words cut coming out of her throat. “Was it Adrian? Were you still holding onto something with her?”

“No.” His face turned hard. “I never want to get back with that woman.”

She didn’t answer. Just waited.

He rubbed a hand over his mouth. “You know how I grew up. You know what it did to my mom when my dad left. It wrecked me and Luke. That’s why Luke battles so many demons. He was my protector. He shielded me from the full brunt of our dad’s mean streak. When I thought Trevor was going down the wrong path, I had to step in. I couldn’t—I couldn’t choose anyone over him. Not even you.”

Her chest tightened, an ache blooming beneath her ribs. It intensified her soreness from the accident. “I never asked you to choose,” she said quietly. “All I wanted was a chance to build something with you.”

“I know that now. I goofed. I’m so sorry.”

She blinked fast to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. Taking in a disjointed breath, she fought to keep her voice steady. “Let’s say I give you another chance. What happens the next time Trevor acts out or needs something? Are you gonna drop everything and run again?” He tried to speak, but she cuthim off. “You said everything snapped into place when you got that phone call from Fitz. Well, almost dying did that for me.”

“Jules,” he interrupted.

She held up a hand. “Let me get this out. Maybe before, it would’ve been enough for you to say you made a mistake. But not anymore.” She swallowed hard, forcing the words past the tightness of her throat. “I need someone who’s as committed to me as I am to him. I need someone who doesn’t run in the other direction when things get hard. I need someone who stays.”

“I’m sorry,” he uttered. “What can I do to make this right?”

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “I just know that I need something more than an apology. I need to be sure. And right now… I’m not.”

Silence stretched long and thick between them.

He clasped his hands. “So where does this leave us?”

“If you came here hoping for a reconciliation, you’re wasting your time. That’s not going to happen.”

He stared at her like she’d slapped him. “Why are you being so stubborn about this? Can’t you see that I made a mistake? I’m here. Doesn’t that count for something?”

His words almost cracked her. Almost. She couldn’t afford to be the only one giving everything to the relationship.

“I deserve more,” she said softly. “I deserve a man who won’t run at the first sign of trouble. Someone who stands beside me, not someone I have to chase.”

Brock ran a hand through his hair, his voice gritty with emotion. “I get that. And I can respect it.”

She clenched her jaw. “Good, then let’s stop beating a dead horse because I can’t talk about this anymore.”

“You have to know how I feel about you.”

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