Page 156 of Collateral Damage
Exposed.
Angry.
But mostly…relieved.
Mom squeezes my hand again and stands. “I’ll leave you two to talk,” she says, slipping out the door.
Even though Cooper is sitting right next to me, I can’t look at him. A heavy, all-consuming silence falls on us, and I stare at my empty hands, wondering what in the world to do with them.
“I’m so sorry, Sybil.”
I force myself to look at him, to search his gaze for answers, hoping for something I can trust and hang onto, but I don’t even know what I’m looking for. My trust has been tested and shaken again and again, and I don’t think I can take it anymore.
“Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?” I demand. “You let everything happen without warning.”
His chest rises and falls with a shaky breath. “I was afraid. You’ve left me before. You make walking away look so easy, and I… I can’t handle that.”
“So that gave you a right to lie to me?” I shake my head. “You broke my trust, Cooper. And I’m expected to forgive you and get over it? Just like that? How can I be with someone I can’t trust? I don’t know how to do that.”
Fear ripples across his features as he awkwardly slides to his knees in front of me, gripping my thighs tightly between his large palms.
“I’m so fucking sorry. I don’t want to lose you.” His face falls into my lap, and he growls in frustration before gazing up with adoring eyes. “I love you so fucking much. Please give me another chance. This is me begging.”
Tears fall, hot and wet. “Don’t do this,” I respond. I’m so tired of being emotionally manipulated by everyone and can’t handle much more, especially not from the man I love.
He swallows hard, looking at me like I’m something to be worshipped. “Last night I almost slipped up and went to the liquor store, but I didn’t. I have to be sober for you. I’ll do anything for you.”
“That’s not fair. I can’t be responsible for your sobriety.”
He shakes his head, dark hair falling across his devastating eyes. “I’dneverput that on you. That’s not what I’m saying. If you want to end things with me, I’ll respect that, and my choices with my addiction are mine alone, and I can’t promise anyone I’ll never make mistakes with it again. But I can promise to always do my best.” He lets out a long sigh. “Between the release that alcohol can give me and the life I can have with you, I pickedyoulast night, and I’ll pick you every time.”
My heart cracks, and I want so badly to let him in, to kiss him, to love him unconditionally and accept every flaw. But I’mnot sure if I’m ready, and if there’s one thing I have to have with Cooper, it’s authenticity.
“We should take a break. I’m not saying we’re over forever, but I need some space to think about what I want to do next. Can you give me that?”
His face crumbles, and I can tell he wants to argue, but eventually, he nods. “I’ll give you anything you want.”
What I want is him, but what I need is to be alone. If I decide to stay with Cooper, I’m going to have to trust him fully. Right now, I’m not ready to give him that.
Sixty-Eight
Cooper
Present - Age 27
“If you love her, let her go, and if she really loves you, she’ll come back.”
That right there is the shit advice my father gave to me when I went to him, begging not to go through with our plan. At first, he told me it couldn’t be undone, then he said that garbage about letting her go, and finally he realized I was dead serious about making Sybil my wife one day. He told me not to worry. Heclaimedhe would handle it.
I should’ve fucking worried.
I ache to follow Sybil home, demand we work things out, but I respect her enough to give her the time she’s asked for.
She’ll come back, right? I don’t even want to think about what it will feel like to lose her again. The idea of it is soul-crushing.
I head to Arden and Ethan’s penthouse and fill them in. They take it as well as can be expected. It’s not every day you find out your mother never actually had an affair, and it’s certainly notevery day you learn you were a pawn in a large blackmail scheme because your uncle who was actually your father was willing to go to great lengths to hide your existence.
Ethan and Arden are pros at handling the drama, which makes sense given their history. I shouldn’t be surprised they don’t let this news rattle them.
