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“I think I made it very clear earlier, Brad. I meant it when I said I was only going to make your life harder.” I opened my eyes. “What we did last night was a mistake and could have cost you your wife.”

Here I was thinking I couldn’t be in any more pain and then I thought of Andrea becoming Brad’s wife and my heart cracked a little bit more open. Who knew after everything today that it was possible for my heart to crack anymore?

He didn’t say anything. Which I think was a good thing because it was going to give me a chance to remind him of some facts.

“She loves you. And you love her. I nearly cost you her. What we did last night—heck, Brad, I am so sorry. I should never have put you in that position.” I shook my head and it caused pain to spill through my body. But right now I couldn’t focus on the pain. I had to make sure Brad knew I was sorry. “We are going back to that rule of us not being by ourselves. We need to put that back in place. I’ll, um, stay out of your way.”

That was all I had to say. I was letting Brad go. I had to. He deserved a wife and kids and having a woman as stunning as Andrea.

He was still holding the ice close to my face and he needed to leave. My hand went to the ice and I took it from him.

“Thanks for the ice, Brad. You should go.” I forced a smile even though it hurt. I guess when it came down it, even if it hurt me I still wanted to make Brad feel okay about ending it with me. If a smile helped him accept it then I would give him a smile, even if it did physically hurt me.

Brad’s eyes didn’t lift from mine. If anything, his eyes got more intense and he stepped in closer to me, lowering his head just slightly while holding my eyes.

“I broke up with Andrea.”

What? What did he just say? I opened my mouth to question him on it.

“I told her there was someone else.” He spoke before I could question him. “Because there is.” His words were softer. “I want to make this clear, Hannah. I liked Andrea but I love you.”

I didn’t know what to say. I’m pretty sure it showed clearly on my face. I tried to think of words to string together. “But she came with you tonight.” I didn’t understand. “You came here together as a couple.”

I hated being confused. I liked being able to think and see things clearly. My body was flooded with confusion as well as frustration for not understanding the situation.

“Trust me, I didn’t want to. Especially after the bitch threw all my shit out of my room.” Brad let out a frustrated sigh. Sounded like his day hadn’t gone smoothly. “I always told her I didn’t want to be serious.”

“Everyone saw her as your woman.” I wasn’t the only woman to think of her as his. Everyone did, even my parents. “Brad, you can’t just break up with Andrea because we had sex. That doesn’t make sense.” I quickly started to talk him out of the situation. “You can’t be serious right now. Andrea is wife material! I’m…I’m a fling. Someone you sleep with once. Usually a drunken mistake!”

Brad started shaking his head. “You didn’t fucking hear me. I don’t want Andrea, nor have I ever wanted her to be a wife. I liked Andrea—I love you. You aren’t a fling.” He placed the ice on the desk and his hand, which was cold, went to my cheek, gently, barely touching it. “Hannah, I was serious when I said I want a label on you. I’ve never ever wanted to put a label on a woman as much as I do you.”

I opened my mouth again to speak.

“I want you and I never give up on something I want or someone I love. So even if you want to be with someone else, I’m still not giving up.” His hands went off my face and to my waist, pulling me into him. “I know it is fucked up. I know it might be the last thing you want. But I can’t let go of you.”

I saw the pained expression on his face, and I opened my mouth again to speak.

“If you only want me as a friend, I’ll do it, Hannah. Fuck, I’ll do anything to be in your life. I want you as mine but I also know how fucked up it is. So I’ll settle to just be your friend. If that’s all you want me as.” His words were coming out rushed. And I went to open my mouth again to speak and he went to cut me off, so I put my finger over his lips.

I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t believe Brad was standing in front of me right now, saying he’d broken up with Andrea. But right now he looked and sounded to be in a state of panic.

“You sound upset, Brad.” I ignored all the things he’d said, even the bomb of him loving me. I had to acknowledge the state he was in. “Your breathing, the way you are speaking and your body language all tells me right now you’re upset.”

“Of course I’m fucking upset!” His voice went up, and all I could hear was anger. “I just saw you get belted across the face by a man that is known for knocking men out with one punch!” He shook his head and his grip on me tightened. “When I saw you drop and I picked you up, I was expecting you to be unconscious.”

I saw how upset he was getting and I didn’t want that. I saw the frustration on his face. His emotions were flashing across his face and he wasn’t hiding them from me. His normal carefree expression was gone and he was letting me see what he really was feeling.

He was getting more and more worked up, his breathing coming out sharper. I couldn’t stop myself from placing my hand on his cheek and going up on my toes so I was closer to him.

“I’m fine, Brad. Dad didn’t knock me out.” I wanted to smooth the anger and pain from his eyes. “There was nothing you could do or anyone could do.”

“He got out of my grip, Hannah. If I’d held him back better he wouldn’t have got free.” Was Brad blaming himself for Dad hitting me? I was the one that yelled at Dad saying I was going to an early grave.

“I’m pretty sure Tyson also couldn’t hold Dad back. When Dad is determined to do something, it happens.” I didn’t want Brad upset over this. “Nothing you could do to stop it and nothing you can do about it.”

“I told him I was walking from the club. He can find another fucking vice president. Maybe one that doesn’t want to kill him like I do.”

I sighed. Okay, this was going to be harder than I expected. “Brad, just because Dad hit me doesn’t mean you wipe him off. He is your best friend and don’t ever say you will walk from the club. Especially not because of me.”

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