“I only kept quiet because I was scared, he told me if I said anything he’d come back.”
My fist clenches with the thought of that bastard with her.
“Being scared doesn’t make you any less strong. Everyone gets scared sometimes.”
“What are you afraid of?” she asks.
“Myself.”
Her brows knit together in question.
“Don’t you remember me telling you? How I was terrified of hurting you, losing you, you walking away from me after realising who I really am? That fear’s come true.”
A tear trickles down her cheek, I swipe it away. “You shouldn’t have kept it from me, you abused my trust, and it’s going to take time to get that back, but I forgave my dad for what he did, gave him a second chance… I forgive you too.”
“Really?”
She nods. “I know deep down that you were doing what you thought was right at the time, protecting me in your own way, I know you'd never purposely hurt me. These past few weeks have been awful without you.” Her voice begins to crack. “I love you.”
I choke back a cry that’s lodged in my throat. “You do?”
“Did you ever doubt it?”
I bow my head, nodding slowly, regretfully.
How could I not after what I did?
She touches the side of my face, smoothing her thumb over my cheek. “I’ll always love you.”
I smile properly for the first time in a week.
“I love you, too. So fucking much.”
I crash my lips to hers, taking her mouth like a man starved, hungry, and desperate for a taste.
Her arms wind around my neck while her tongue dances with mine, perfectly in sync with each other.
I pull back slightly, gasping for breath. “I don’t ever want to make you cry again, don’t ever want to see you shed a single tear because of something I've done.”
“Kyle,” she moans against my mouth.
“Never let me go, baby, please,” I beg.
She shakes her head slightly, a faint smile touching her lips. “Never.”
Chapter 44
Hayley
“Hey,” I call as I enter Gwen’s apartment, it’s quiet. Usually the TV is switched on to some God-awful music channel or there’s pop music blasting through her speakers, but there’s nothing.
It’s been a week since the funeral, and she hasn’t been coping well. When I told her about Luke after I got back from the hospital she broke down in tears, her legs collapsing underneath her. She cried non-stop for hours. I didn’t realise just how deep her feelings for him went, I knew she liked him, but I didn’t realise how much, from what little she told me, I assumed they had a friends with benefits thing going on, but I guess not.
“Hello? Gwen?” I call again, only to be met with silence.
Where is she? I search through the apartment, before finally coming to a stop outside the bathroom. I can hear the tap running so I know she’s in there.
I knock on the door. “Are you decent? My eyes are closed, if you’re naked please tell me.” I laugh as I open the door. I hear a sniff and I slowly peel my eyes open to find Gwen sat on the bathroom floor with her knees drawn up under her chin, crying. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” I slide down to my knees beside her.
I wait for her to say something, but she doesn’t. She leans her head against my chest, wrapping her arms around my middle and continues to cry, I figure she’ll tell me in her own time, so I don’t push her, I just sit and hold her.
Once she’s all cried out, she sits up and wipes her tears on the back of her sleeve, crossing her legs and sits staring at the ground. “I killed him Hayley. I killed Luke.”
“What? How could you have possibly killed him?”
“He was coming over to see me when he got into accident. I wanted to tell him… I should have told him sooner…”
“Told him what?” I ask.
She exhales slowly. “I’m pregnant,” she whispers.
My eyes widen. “Oh my God, Gwen,” I sigh. I shift my position, so I’m sat shoulder to shoulder with her, my legs stretched out in front of me.
“I asked him to come over to tell him. It wasn’t planned, obviously, but he had a right to know. When he didn’t show I called and called and he never answered, he was gone, and I had no idea.” She begins to sob again.
I pull her into a hug, kissing her on the top of her head. “What are you going to do, about the baby?”
“That’s all I’ve thought about since Luke died. I want to keep it, I couldn’t bear getting an abortion, but I’m scared. I’m so fucking scared, Hales. I’m all alone.”
“Hey, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. You are not alone. You have Luke’s parents, they are going to support you through all of this, you have Kyle, he’s going to love being an uncle and more importantly, you have me. You are my sister, maybe not by blood, but in every other sense of the word you are. I’m going to be here, by your side through all of it, except changing the diapers, that’s all you.” I laugh.
She laughs softly, a few more tears trickling down her face. “Really?”
I swipe her tears away from her face. “Of course. I love you.”
“Love you too, babe.” She smiles. “Wait, you mentioned Kyle, are you two back together?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“I’m glad, I want you to be happy. But I’m telling you now, if he hurts you again, I’ll tear his fucking balls off and feed them to him.”
My head falls back in laughter. “Okay.”
“I don’t really feel like going to dinner, can we maybe eat here and watch a movie?” she asks.
“No problem. You want Chinese or Mexican?”
“Mexican.”
Chapter 45
Hayley
“Gwen’s pregnant?” Kyle asks.
I nod. “Luke was on his way over to see her when…” I trail off. “She blames herself, for his death.”
“It’s not her fault, she
