Page 71 of Fragile Heart

I start to drift off when there’s pounding on my door. My heart races. I know who it is without even opening it. I knew giving his stuff back would give myself away that I’m home. I just hoped he would take it as a sign that I wanted to be left alone. Clearly, that’s not what happened.

Stumbling out of bed, I flip the light on and walk to the front door. The pounding doesn’t stop until I open the door. His fist is in mid-air when he finally realizes I’m standing there.

The dark circles under his eyes tell me he’s in a bad place, just like me. But I lift my head, remembering that this was his fault. I did nothing wrong.

“Quinn,” he practically whispers.

“Can I help you?” I harden my voice, relieved that it doesn’t shake.

“Quinn,” he repeats. “I’m so sorry.” He tries to step inside, but I hold my hand up to stop him.

“Say what you need to say and leave.”

His eyes roam my face, trying to read my expression, but I keep myself neutral. “Quinn, the things I said to you. . . I didn’t mean any of them. You have to know that.”

“Sure sounded like you meant them.”

“I was scared. The cameras were following us, and people constantly judging us. Jessica got in my head telling me you could never handle being my girlfriend, and I just. . . I don’t know. I freaked out.” He says this like it’s supposed to explain everything and make it all ok.

I nod slowly. “So, what I’m hearing is you let your ex-girlfriend sabotage what we had and then completely disregarded my feelings?”

“Shit. This isn’t coming out right.” He tugs at his hair, something I’ve seen him do a hundred times when he’s stressed. I want to hug him and comfort him, but I can’t. Not this time. “I thought. . . I thought I was doing what was best for you. I knew I had to say something terrible to get you to leave. To protect you. Cameras were following us, and I knew it would only be a matter of time before they found out who you were and started to invade your privacy too. You have to understand. At that moment, I thought I was helping you.”

He’s got to be kidding me. “I’m glad you made all of those decisions for me without my input. But you helped me realize I need to protect myself better and not give my trust away so easily, so mission accomplished.”

“Quinn. Please. Give me another chance.”

I look away so he can’t see the tears I’m holding back. “I can’t.”

He drops to his knees in front of me. “Quinn. You can, baby. You can,” he pleads. His hands are holding my legs in place, and I’m trying my best to stand strong and not give in. It goes against my very nature to turn someone away. But I’ve got to start somewhere.

I don’t say anything. I only look down at him and shake my head, folding my arms across my chest. With my movement, he catches a glimpse of the bruises he left on my wrist. He tugs an arm free. “Jesus Christ. Did I do this?”

I nod once, pursing my lips.

“This isn’t me.” He gently kisses a bruise on my wrist, but I pull away. “I don’t know what came over me that night. I was so scared. I didn’t want you to get hurt, and I was so fucking mad at myself for putting you in that situation.”

“I’m an adult, and I made the decision to go with you. It should have been my decision to leave if I felt uncomfortable or unsafe.”

He nods. “I know. I see that now. What I did, what I said, it’s inexcusable.”

“Yeah, it is,” I agree.

“Quinn. I love you.” I suck in a breath. He’s never said those words to me before, and now he’s saying them when he’s on his knees, begging for a second chance? Unbelievable. “I’ll do anything to show you. Anything. I’ll move to Georgia. I’ll move anywhere you want to go. I’ll help you bake cookies every morning when you open your bakery. I’ll do whatever you want. Please, baby. Please forgive me.” I watch the tears stream down his face.

“I’ll forgive you. Eventually,” I say shakily. “But I can’t be with you, Hudson. You made me feel small and degraded when I’ve done nothing but care about you and support you. I have to protect my own heart. I handed you a fragile heart, and you shattered it. I won’t ever be able to unsee the disgusted look on your face when you walked past me and thanked me for the pussy. Or your dead eyes when you asked me if I actually thought I would be your girlfriend.”

“Quinn.” His voice is barely above a whisper.

“Hudson.”

“I’m so sorry.” He wraps his arms around my legs to hug me.

“You need to leave.” He looks up at me before standing slowly. His eyes roam my face. I keep as expressionless as possible, even though I can feel my chin trembling.

He reaches out and strokes the side of my face with his thumb. His touch is light, like he’s scared to touch me. So different from the commanding man I’m used to. “I’m not giving up, Quinn. You’re the one for me. I’m going to be the man that you deserve one day. I promise.”

“Please leave.”

He exhales and turns to leave. As I’m shutting the door on him, he looks over his shoulder and whispers, “I love you.”

And then he’s gone.

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