Page 113 of Between Commitment and Betrayal
“You’re crazy.” I told him, shaking my head because I was crazy too for even having a sliver of hope that it might be true. My heart that had been swimming in darkness for the past few days immediately saw a tiny flash of brightness and went wildly toward it. Hope never left even when all felt hopeless. “You’re being drunk and irrational, Declan.”
“I’m not.” He grabbed his phone and shoved it toward me. “Read this.”
“I don’t want to.” I shook my head, knowing it’d be another headline, probably something about him and Anastasia.
“Please,” he whispered. “The papers will be printing it everywhere in a week. I was trying to plan it, but I just need you to read it.”
I stared at him but knew I couldn’t deny him. His eyes pleaded with me like it was the last thing he’d ever want from me.
WILL EVERLY BELAFONTE GIVE DECLAN HARDY ANOTHER CHANCE?
A letter addressed to Everly Belafonte from Declan Hardy:
Everly,
I’m not much of a writer. I’m a retired football player that earned America’s trust by catching a ball and plowing through opponents. I ran on instinct and trusted my heart most of the time. It got me far.
I plowed through making decisions for our inheritance too. You gave in to marrying me so I could save the shares of the HEAT empire. I saw you do everything in your power to help me and another person save what they hold dear to their hearts.
You never did this for you. Had it just been for you, you would have walked out and not accepted any of it. For that, the HEAT empire should be forever thankful to you.
I’m forever thankful to you.
More than that, though, I’m forever in love with you. I told you that night I wasn’t. It was a lie. Yet, I wasn’t going to plow through a marriage with the woman I love. I hope you know I want to watchHome Alonewith you, stay up late with you, make bracelets with you, and eat breakfasts with you for the rest of my life.
I want the ring on my finger to be made of string forever because we love one another, not because an inheritance directive said to put it there.
I want babies with you, as many as you want. Even if it’s a crazy amount like you told me before. Not because Carl said so, but because I want to see a little girl just like her momma learning yoga in HEAT Health and Fitness while her mom teaches her it. I want that baby to be mine so damn bad, Everly, it hurts.
I want the happily ever after with you, but I want to get there on our terms, no one else’s.
Your portion of the inheritance is safe. I made sure of it.
I hope when you read this, you’ll tell me my heart is safe too. It belongs to you now.
Will you give me a chance to own yours too?
Declan Hardy has asked that Everly Belafonte not be contacted for a response at this time. We are honoring his wishes until she reads this.
“Give me a chance to start over with you, Drop. Please?”
“Are you saying you secured my mother’s yoga studio?” she whispered, staring up at me with her chin trembling.
“I got all of it. I had to do it that way, had to make you think we were over until I had all this worked out because you wouldn’t have agreed otherwise.”
“You…” She stopped and took a shaky breath. “You’re not having a baby with her?”
“No, Everly. Jesus, I never was.” He grabbed my hands and squeezed them like he never wanted to let go. “I couldn’t tell you though. You would have told me to stop, fought me on it, tried to not have me put myself out there for you. I hated it, but Anastasia wanted to meet over and over about it. All of this was for you though. That’s it. I had to get your mom’s studio for you above all else.”
“What? Why?” I whispered, my heart stuttering as I tried to figure out everything he was saying.
“Carl didn’t fight you when you said no thanks to legal help, when you said no to his money, when you said no to any kind of help time and time again. No one fights you, and it shows they aren’t willing to. He should have fought to give you everything before, and I’m fighting to give you everything now. I need you to know that’s what families do. I’m going to do that every single day. I fought for the yoga studio, and it broke my damn heart to tell you I didn’t love you because I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything. More than the empire, more than the shares. I’m happy to give all that shit up if I get you and your happiness. So, I backed away long enough to do that. I got the yoga studio, and I need you to give me a chance.”
“But you—” My mind swirled, a confusing mix of love and hope and overwhelming emotion pulsing through me. He loved me. He wanted my heart. I had his. My heart was being put back together piece by piece.
“I did everything I had to do so that we can start over. No inheritance hanging over our heads. I need another chance, babe. We need another shot because I’m sick of this bullshit. I’m sick of not having my meals with you. I’m sick of not having you. I’m sick of wanting mywifeand thinking she’s just out of reach. You’re truly my wife. Not out of convenience, not because of a will. But because I love you. I can’t see straight without you.”
“We can’t just be married, Declan—"
