Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
He's right. I have been quiet today. My mind has been spinning in circles all damn day, trying to sort out how to tell him what I learned. Trying to figure out how I feel and what I want to do. There's so much in there, just bouncing around. I don't even know where to begin. But I know it has to be said.
"I've been thinking," I whisper.
His body freezes against mine before he gently flips me over to face him, his hand sliding beneath my chin to tip my head back. "What's wrong, baby? Talk to me."
"I'm selling my dad's company," I whisper. It seems like as good a place to start as any. "I don't want it. I don't want to spend every damn day listening to lawyer-speak or pretending I know what they're talking about or acting like I have an iota of desire to run the place. I don't." I shrug a shoulder. "So I'm selling it."
"You never wanted the company," he murmurs. "That was never your dream." His thumb brushes my bottom lip. "You always wanted to build something of your own, create your own little empire."
"I went into teaching," I whisper, meeting his gaze. "I worked with special needs kids in San Diego. After…everything…I guess I needed a softer place to land for a little while. Spending time helping kids seemed simple, uncomplicated. I ended up falling in love with it."
His eyes shine with pride.
"I don't know why he even left me the stupid company," I mutter. "I guess to apologize? To force me back here?" I shrug helplessly. "For a minute, I was almost grateful, you know? Because if he hadn't, we wouldn't have found each other again. But I realized today that I was giving him credit that he didn't deserve." I lick my lips, my stomach churning with anxiety. "Um, I don't know how to say it, so I'm just going to say it, okay?"
Grayson narrows his eyes on my face, his gaze probing, worried. "You can tell me anything, Mina. You know that."
"I'm pretty sure my dad tried to have you killed when you were in Mexico," I blurt. "He's the reason all of this happened. And then, when he found out that you weren't dead, he helped me try to find you so he could try to control the narrative. If he helped bring you home, we'd never suspect that he was the one behind what happened. When that didn't work because we couldn't find you, and he realized there was a chance he might have actually gotten rid of you, he pushed hard for me to have you declared dead. He needed you to be dead so he could be free of you."
"Jesus," Grayson mutters.
"I asked his assistant about you today. He said my dad had people in Mexico who owed him favors. I guess he used to brag about it a lot." I meet his gaze, mine watery. "He stopped talking about it after you disappeared." It's not a conviction, but it's pretty damning evidence. Coupled with everything else…well, how much more do we really need before we accept the fact that my father is the one who did this to us? I've seen enough and heard enough to know it's the truth.
"I fucking hate that you had to hear this," Grayson whispers, brushing his lips across my forehead. "The night I came back when you thought I was lying to you…"
I gasp, my eyes meeting his. "You knew?"
He nods regretfully. "The minute my memories came back, I fucking knew it was him. I just didn't want you to have to live with that shit too. I should have told you, but fucking hell, baby. I couldn't bring myself to break your fucking heart like that. I'm sorry," he whispers. "I'm so goddamn sorry, sweetheart."
"You're sorry?" I blink wide eyes at him. "Why are you apologizing? My dad tried to have you murdered. You were t-tortured. You lost your memories." Tears slip down my cheeks. "You lost everything because of him. If anyone should be apologizing, it's me, Grayson. He ruined your life because of me."
"No," he growls, his eyes blazing with conviction. "Hell no." He rolls me onto my back, crawling over me. "You didn't do a fucking thing wrong, Mina. Loving me wasn't wrong. Letting me put a ring on your finger wasn't wrong. You don't apologize for following your heart. You don't apologize for that motherfucker. Not to me. Not ever."
"But—"
"No." He places a hard kiss on my lips. "Hell no, baby. The only thing you did was love me. I refuse to let you believe for even a second that you were wrong for that. Because there isn't a goddamn thing wrong with what's between us. You know there isn't."
I stare up at him, see the absolute faith, the unshakable conviction, in his eyes, and exhale a breath. He's right. We aren't wrong. I can't let what my father did convince me that we are. If I do, I let him win. Everything we went through to get back to each other means nothing, and we're the ones who suffer. Brinley is the one who suffers. I won't allow that.