27. Thayer #2
“Why are you here? If it’s for her, she’s not going anywhere. She’s mine; you didn’t want her.” Walker’s voice is low and menacing. Breaking Walker’s hold, I step away and toward One.
“First, I don’t belong to anyone. Second, why are you here, Hardy?” I put on a smile so as not to draw any more attention than we have already.
“For you. I came for you.” Hardy’s eyes finally leave Walker’s and bore into mine. My heart skips a beat.
“I’m sorry you’ve come all this way, but I’m engaged. Our wedding is next week,” I say, delivering the words as calmly as possible because right now, I’m nowhere near calm.
“So I hear. Doesn’t matter, though. I love you. I’ll never stop. I should have never left without fighting for you. I’ll not make that mistake again.” Hardy steps toward me just as Walker cuts him off.
“I think it’s time for you to go,” Walker seethes, placing a finger in the middle of Hardy’s chest.
The men are eye to eye, practically growling at one another. Walker is no pussy, but Hardy is perfect in all the right places. Walker works out every day in the local gym, but Hardy gets his build from hard work. Making Hardy built a hell of a lot better. Oh, fuck me.
“Why are you so worried? Thayer can make her own decisions.” Hardy gets in Walker’s face as my dad joins us.
“Boys, let’s not do this now. Thayer, please walk Hardy out. Chord, watch your sister but give her room. Walker, One, and I would like you to join us.” My father, Cal, is such an unassuming badass. Kissing me on the cheek, he motions me forward.
“Thank you, Dad. Hardy.” I walk to the sunroom with Hardy and Chord in tow. Chord stands in the back of the kitchen as we step out and shut the door.
The click of the door shutting barely sounds before Hardy begins his desperate plea, making me spin on my heels as anger and regret washes over each of us. Hurt, confusion, and even love waft through the air as the tension grows between us.
“I’m sorry,” Hardy’s first words mean so little right now. There’s no way he can make up for all our lost months.
“Too little, too late.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I set back on my heel to show him I’m not backing down.
“I know.” His demeanor shifts from cocky to sorrowful. His eyes downcast, he loses his smirk he was just wearing for Walker.
“Then why are you here?” Biting my bottom lip, he watches the color change as he licks his lips. I bite it harder for many different reasons.
“You’re all I have. All I’ve ever wanted.
I warned you, I told you I would break you.
But you insisted we would make it. At first, I accepted it.
I know everything we created together I tore apart.
I broke us.” His forehead wrinkles as the ‘V between his eyes forms. He rubs the back of his neck with his hand; he’s nervous.
“Yes, you did.” If he thinks this absolves him, he’s full of shit. He nods as once again his eyes are downcast. He can’t even look at me.
“I know, I’m sorry,” he says again in defeat. Fuck this; he can’t even fight for me.
“What do you want, Hardy? For me to be thrilled, you’re back? Fall at your feet? Well, mother fucker, you lost that honor.” I’m not sure if I say it to cut him as severely as he did me or force him to fight. By the look in his eyes, the fight is gone.
Hardy surprises me by stepping forward into my space, coming so close to me that I can feel his warm breath on this fantastic autumn night. His voice is scarcely above a whisper as he pleads his case to my mind; my heart has already been won.
“I’ve let you down in so many ways. You’re such a strong woman, a good person.
I didn’t realize until after I was gone, it wasn’t you that made me a good man; I’ve always been one.
Imagine my shock when I realized I deserved your love.
You were never mad I didn’t share Erica and the baby with you.
You were hurt because I didn’t believe in us.
In you. I told people you were strong, but I didn’t imagine you could be as strong as you were for me.
So many times you held me up.” He begins to cry as my lip begins to tremble and my eyes fill.
I bite the inside of my cheek. No way in hell will he see me cry too.
“I should’ve trusted you. I never should have lied to you. ”
“You didn’t lie. You just felt like I wasn’t worth the truth.” I place my fist on my hip.
“What? No, that’s not true. I couldn’t face you with the truth.
I knew you could handle it, but I couldn’t.
Thayer, I let Erica down. She could never compare to you, even on her good days.
So I have no reason to think that I wouldn’t let you down too.
Can’t you see? The only part of this that was about you is that I should’ve trusted our love.
To know together, we could get through any storm.
” I stand there stock still, not giving an inch.
“Did you ever think about standing still to see if we could survive the storm? No, Hardy. When the creek started rising from the storm, you ran; you didn’t stand still to see if we could make it.
I was scared, you know? I’m still frightened as hell, but I’ll not run.
I’m not going to turn my back on Walker. ”
Hardy steps closer to me, and I can feel the heat from his body; it knocks the breath from me.
“Does he make you come the way I do, Thayer? Does he make you scream his name? That, Thayer, is what we have. That and so much more is what we’ll always have.
I may have fucked up by not believing in us, but at least I fucked you the way you needed to be.
I love you. I want you. And I don’t give a fuck if you marry him tonight.
I will win you back.” Hardy slides his hand around my waist and pulls me into him.
His hand wraps around my neck while his thumb traces my jaw. Staring deep into my eyes, he presses into me as he leans into my cheek. Taking a deep breath, I can hear him as he rakes his tongue across his lips. He whispers in my ear, making my knees buckle.
“I will have you again. You never lost me; you own me, hun.” His words slip past my ear, warm and delicious. My thighs squeeze together of their own accord when my panties become wet. I’m lost to him as he gently presses his lips into my collarbone where my necklace lays. I shudder.
Fuck.
Pulling back, he gazes into my eyes before stepping away. I watch as Hardy walks around the corner of my family’s home, looking hot as hell.
Fuck.