Page 136 of The Broken Heart Playlist
She also serves as a helpline volunteer offering real-time support to women experiencing domestic abuse. Although it’s difficult work, she tells me she feels she’s making a difference in the lives of these ladies.
We celebrated our one-year anniversary before we left for Italy. What better way to celebrate than to recreate the food tasting challenge, except this time I was the one blindfolded and tied to the chair. I do believe Kate thoroughly enjoyed her power trip. I know I did.
At our next celebration, Kate will be the one sitting in a chair. I have a particular scarf in mind for the occasion. And who says we have to wait another year to celebrate? I’m all for celebrating every month actually. I also know exactly which room we’ll be doing the tasting challenge in. A perfect opportunity to show my wife exactly why I insisted on a soundproof cinema room.
I’ve lived a selfish life for so long, and now I have the opportunity to live a selfless one, loving and cherishing two people for the rest of my life. Putting their needs above my own. Heck, I would die for both of them in a heartbeat.
I’ve broken the law for them, and I’d do it again.
Kate never asked me where I disappeared to in those two weeks before she agreed to go on our first date. It’s a secret I’ll probably take to the grave with me.
I spent those two weeks in France paying a visit to Oliver. It was easy to track him down after I heard rumblings he was planning to contact Kate and drag her through the courts to lay claim to Lisset. I doubt he suddenly got all sentimental about being a father, he only wanted to spite Kate. I did a little diggingand found out he hadn’t changed at all. He was still violent, this time with the woman he was living with, the one he left Kate for.
I paid him a visit when he was alone in his apartment. Much of what took place that day I’ve blanked from my mind. What I do remember is the rage bunching my shoulders, the relentless need to hurt him. Like he’d hurt Kate.
I thought maybe I’d hate myself in the morning for what I did, but when I looked in the mirror the next day my conscience was clear. Yes, the man staring back at me had broken the law, but at least he wasn’t a man who stood by and let a monster continue to hurt women.
After I finished with him, Oliver ended up in hospital. I made sure he stayed there for a long time. And I used a lot of my money and resources to dig up enough dirt on him to bury him. Blackmail is an effective weapon. He’ll never speak about what happened and he’ll never set foot in this country again. Or ever attempt to contact Kate or Lisset.
Aaron is the only person who knows what I did. He’ll keep it a secret. He’s just as invested in keeping Oliver away from Kate and Lisset as I am. He might have hinted at something to Tess, but her sister code involves protecting Kate at all cost so she’ll keep silent while silently applauding me.
The ride operator announces that it’s our turn to board the rollercoaster.
I hold out my hand to Kate. “Are you ready?”
Without hesitation, she places her hand in mine. “I’m ready.”
“Let’s do this,” I tell her.
As we climb into the carriage of one of the world’s scariest rollercoasters, I glimpse in her face the knowledge that the ride will be both terrifying and thrilling, but it’ll be the ride of our lives.
