Page 3 of Separated from My Love
“I think you both need to sleep off the alcohol you imbibed.” He picked up one of the decanters and stared down at it in disgust. “How much did you two drink? Never mind, I am not sure I wanttoknow.”
“You’re not the boss of me,” Genevieve said angrily. She stood and wobbled over to him, then started to poke him hard in the chest. “In fact, I am done listening to you and your excuses. I waited and waited.” She stomped her foot and almost fell backward. “For what? You to come in here and look down your nose at me in disgust? Well, I have news for you. You’re far from perfect yourself, mister, and I’m through with lingering around like a piece of trash you forgot to discard. If you don’t want me, come out and tell me. I cantakeit.”
“Eve…” God, that was the last thing he wanted. Would she even remember this when she woke up? “Why don’t we have a long talk in the morning? This isn’t the time to hashthisout.”
“Wimp,” she said and attempted to knee him in the balls she missed, but not without still doing some damage. He fell to the ground so she wouldn’t try it again. Best to let her think she was successful. “Be a man and tell me howitis.”
“Have mercy,” hebegged.
“No,” she replied. “You don’t deserve any. I’mleaving.”
She stomped out of the room, her path one huge zig zag of movements. He had to stop her before she hurt herself. She couldn’t leave as drunk as she was. She’d get hurt and he couldn’t allow that tohappen.
“Let her go,” Aubriella said. “Haven’t you done enough tohurther?”
Genevieve had tried to knee him in his man parts, and her cousin had sucker punched him with one statement. How was he ever going to make any of it right again? He’d hurt the love of his life. Something he’d vowed toneverdo.
“I can’t,” he said. “She’s my everything—my end and my beginning. I’m nothingwithouther.”
“Don’t tell me, you ass.” She took a swig from the decanter. “She’s the one that needs to hear it.” She set the bottle down and glared at him. “What the hell are you waiting for? Go after her before she does somethingstupid.”
Women. Would he ever understand them? Aubriella was right though. Trenton couldn’t go on without telling Genevieve how much she meant to him, and he hated that he’d hurt her. He wished he could undo a lot of what he’d already put her through. There wasn’t a clear way how to fix the mess he’d created, but he’d findaway.
Trenton stood and headed out of the room. He ran down the hallway and stopped short in the foyer. The door was open wide and wind was blowing into the manor. His heart froze in his chest. Please... If she’d gotten behind the wheel of a car he’d never survive the terror. He ran outside and noticed her silhouette in the distance. She was heading toward the cliffs. Not much better, but he could work with it. He set off after her, running as fast as he possibly could. When he caught up to her she was standing on the cliff’s edge looking overtheside.
“Eve,” he said as calmly as he could manage. “Could you please take astepback?”
“It’s so pretty. Look at the waves as they crash toshore.”
His heart beat rapidly against his chest. She wobbled a little but kept her balance. One wrong move and she’d tumble over. “Darling, I’m begging you, please come over herebyme.”
Genevieve glanced up at him and smiled. “Oh, there’s a pretty white bunny.” She lifted her hand and pointed to her right. He glanced over but didn’t see any damn rabbit. That was a mistake because when he turned back to her, his heart about burst inside his chest. She wobbled on the edge, arms flailing in the wind. He dashed to her side to catch her, but was too late. His throat became raw from screaming as she tumbled over the edge and fell to her death. For as long as he lived, he’d never forget the horror on her face as she fell or the moment when she disappeared beforehiseyes.
* * *
The daysafterward were nothing but hell. Trenton couldn’t eat or sleep after Genevieve disappeared. There had been search parties out looking for her—but not as a rescue. They were on full recovery mode. The fools were looking for a dead body. Trenton had watched as she fell, helpless to save her. His eyes hadn’t played tricks on him as everyone had suggested. There wasn’t a chance in hell he’d give up on finding her because he alone knew thetruth.
Genevieve never hit the ground. She didn’t die. He refused to believe anything else. Wherever she ended up she was living a happy life. It didn’t matter that he lived his life without her. When he closed his eyes, she visited him in his dreams. His heart broke each time his mind wandered to thoughts of her, but he wouldn’t change it for anything. How could he when she was the only thing he had to live for? How did a man forget the love of his life? Trenton didn’t know because he’d forever have her inside his heart. Every night when he closed his eyes, he found a way to happiness. In the land of dreams, she’d never left him. It was the two of them wrapped in each other’s arms without a care in theworld.
When he opened his eyes, reality set in. All the mistakes he’d made. The things he hadn’t said or would never have a chance to say. Living without her was pure hell. But he moved on and did his best to make the best of his situation. He tried to loveagain.
But he was a fool for even doing that much. Genevieve haunted him and always would. She was the ghost of all his regrets. Until he found a way to make peace with that, he’d never have a chance of anything more. He would often go to the cliffs edge and scream at the injustice of it all. There was a time he’d pulled out the engagement ring and contemplated throwing it. What would be the point? He stopped carrying it after that. Maybe one day he’d still be able to give ittoher.
He was aware he was slowly going insane… Even that didn’t stop the pain ravagingthroughhim.
“Wherever you are, my love, I’ll always be yours. It doesn’t matter how much my heart breaks, I’ll wait for you. I’m sorry I took you for granted. I promise, if you find your way back, I’ll do better.” He hit the ground as tears filled his eyes and drenched his cheeks. “Please, come backtome…”
