Page 75 of Final Temptation
Her and Declan’s wedding was approaching fast. It felt like just yesterday they got engaged, and now in six months, we’d all be celebrating them. Six months may sound like a ways away, but not in the wedding planning world. Photographers and other vendors had the ability to get booked up quickly. Especially in a small town where the number of vendors were limited.
Obviously returning home late for the night, we were able to get a ton of wedding duties checked off the list. Colors were chosen, flowers all picked out, and don’t get me started on the cake. If it were up to me, I’d choose them all, each flavor melting in my mouth more than the next. Ultimately, the decision was up to my best friend, and she chose two—chocolate and strawberry. Opting for one that was more fitting to her and her husband to be.
I was still riding the high from my day spent with Myles, nothing daring to get in the way of the ecstasy running through my veins. Crawlinginto bed with him tonight was all I’d been looking forward to since the moment I left the warmth of his body to hang out with Paige earlier.
When I walked through the front door, my stomach dropped, a sinking feeling washing over me. Immediately taking away the fuzzy feeling I had just seconds ago.
Something didn’t feel right.
The TV was on, and the couch looked in disarray, but Myles was nowhere in sight.
“Myles?” I called from the living room, the tone in my voice coming out in a panic, my pace picking up as I went from room to room.
The living room window had a direct view of the parking lot. I tore back the white linen drapes, only to see that his Jeep wasn’t here.
I should have noticed he wasn’t here the moment I pulled up next to an empty spot.
The nagging feeling itched inside me, causing me to reach for my phone. After coming up short, unable to locate Myles anywhere, I pulled up our text thread.
After shooting off a text message to him, I second-guessed myself.
He has to be here.
He was never out at this time. The TV was on, indicating he was here; hehadto be here.
I checked his bedroom, flinging the door open with no luck. His bed was empty, the covers looking the same as they did when we left his bed earlier.
He was supposed to meet me in bed—in my bedroom. Throwing the door open, I flipped on the switch, the room illuminating with no sight of him.
When the bathroom turned up empty, my heart sank, the nagging feeling refusing to leave. Checking my phoneagain, my hand wrapped around it, squeezing for dear life, willing him to text me back.
Those three dots appeared, and a whimper slipped from my lips.
He’s safe.
Myles: I’m so sorry, Sophie.
Tears instantly blurred my vision. What did he mean he was sorry? What could he be sorry for?If I was worried five minutes ago, I was petrified now.
Me: What’s going on? Where are you?
Myles: Declan was right. He always said that this typa shit was gonna catch up to me.
He was responding to me, but he wasn’tansweringme. His avoidance dialed my concern up to another level.
Me: Myles, you aren’t making any sense. What’s catching up to you? Help me understand.
Myles: It should’ve been me, Soph. Should’ve been fucking me in that truck. Anthony didn’t deserve to die. I did. I did…
I stood in the middle of the living room, the television on in the background, muffling the sound of each cry escaping my mouth. Any strength I had left in my body went limp, my knees falling to the ground with a loud thump. The thought of Myles feeling so low, the desperation in his words, the idea of him being at rock fuckingbottom, it broke my damn heart. My heart was in the process of shattering every time I read his message over again.
I clutched my chest.
My heart was in pieces for him.
Me: No, Anthony didn’t deserve it. But you don’t either, Myles. I need you. Your brother needs you.
Myles: It hurts, Sophie. So bad.
