Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88889 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88889 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
He followed the trial. He bought a house in my hometown. He lived next to me for two months before we started talking.
“You stalked me!” I gasp.
“I just wanted to help, Kelcie. I tried to fight my feelings for you, but—”
“Is that why you kept pulling away?” I ask, feeling so stupid for pursuing him.
Oh. My. God. I . . . I . . . I . . .
A dry sob tears from me.
Someone knocks, and when I don’t answer, they begin banging on the door. “Kelcie. Let me in. You deserve to know the truth,” Colby shouts.
When I step toward the door, Levi begs, “Don’t listen to him. Let’s talk about this.”
Ignoring his plea, I unlock the door and yank it open. Giving Colby the darkest glare I can conjure to my face, I snap, “Get off my property. The next time you come near me, I’m calling Sheriff Williams, and I’ll have you arrested for trespassing.”
“Kelc—”
I slam the door shut again, engage the locks, and walk to the kitchen to put some distance between Levi and me.
When he takes a step in my direction, I shake my head. “You stay right there. Don’t come any closer.”
My mind races to process everything.
I remember every memory Levi shared with me and realize he never said his family’s names. It was always stepfather, mother, or half brother.
“Baby,” Levi groans.
My eyes snap to him, and I begin to feel torn. Part of me wants to do everything in my power not to hurt him, but the other half feels betrayed and so, so very heartbroken.
“You lied to me.” A tsunami of pain tears through my chest. “You inserted yourself in my life and made me fall for you. You . . . you . . . you . . .”
My breathing becomes choppy as my emotions spiral into chaos, and I blindly move toward the cupboard. I can’t get any air into my lungs, and it feels as if I’m suffocating.
Levi darts past me and quickly grabs my medicine from the cupboard. He pops one of the pills out and pushes it past my dry lips.
My vision grows spotty, and I’m not aware of what happens for the next few minutes.
When the severe panic attack begins to ease, I smell cedarwood and citrus.
“I’m so sorry,” Levi groans, sounding as if he’s in physical pain. “I love you with everything I am. I never meant to hurt you.”
My face is pressed to his chest, and his arms are steel bands of safety around me.
But the moment only lasts a few seconds.
I yank away from him, and when he lets go of me, I stagger backward until I hit the wall.
“You tricked me. You played me for a fool,” I sob, unable to handle all the heartache eating me up alive.
What else is he capable of?
Fear slithers through my veins, and I don’t know what my expression looks like, but it has Levi holding his hands up in front of him.
“I will never hurt you. Please don’t look at me like that.”
“Leave,” I whimper.
“Kelcie.” His arms fall limply to his sides, the most heartbreaking expression I’ve ever seen settling on his face. “I didn’t play you. Everything between us was . . . is real. The memories I shared with you were the truth. I left that family when I turned sixteen.” He lifts his arms again and scrubs his palms over his face. “I shouldn’t have kept from you who my half brother was, and I’m so sorry I did.”
His expression turns pleading again. “I didn’t want to lose you.”
While Levi talks, I can’t keep myself from remembering every moment we shared.
My head begins to pound from all the tension, and I wrap my arms around myself.
“I need time alone. I have to process it all. I can’t do this with you right now.”
Levi takes a cautious step toward me, and when I begin to shake my head, he sucks in a shuddering breath before saying, “I’ll give you all the time you need.” His eyes burn into mine. “I never meant to hurt you, Kelcie. Your beautiful nature and warmth drew me in, and I couldn’t fight it. Getting to know you has been the greatest gift I’ve received in my life, and whatever you decide, I’ll always treasure every second I got to spend with you.”
When he slowly begins to move closer again, I don’t have it in me to tell him to stop.
“Can I hold you, please?” he begs. “If this might be the last time I see you, can I be selfish and ask for one last hug?”
Tears overwhelm me, and as I begin to cry, his arms gently wrap around me and pull me against his chest. His scent envelops me, and I weep because the happiness I managed to find with Levi has just been cruelly ripped away from me.