Page 34 of Echoes of Temptation
Fire. So much fire is looking down at me that I’m surely going to burn.
“You’re fucking beautiful,” he whispers. “Absolute perfection. I will stop at nothing until you believe me. I hate that I hurt you. I will never forgive myself for the sadness I’ve caused you. For the pain that you’ll always have when you look back on that horrible fucking day. But know this, my sweet girl, from this day forward, I will do everything in my power to make your life easy.”
“King, I don’t think…”
“Even if I’m not part of it,” he interrupts. “I fucked up. That’s on me. The last thing I want to do is to cause you more pain. Icame here to tell you that I’m walking away. But I’ll never be far. I will protect you until the day I die. Even if it’s from myself.”
He’s walking away? Why does the thought alone hurt so badly when it’s what I’ve wanted for weeks now?
The tears fall before I can stop them.
“No matter what I want,” he continues, reaching up to wipe away my tears. “No matter how I feel, I will always put you and your feelings first. If, at any time, you need me, simply call and I’ll be right here. Live your life, baby. Heal your heart. Forget all about me and my club. You deserve all of the happiness. I love you so much, my sweet girl. I love you enough to walk away.”
With that, he kisses my forehead and leaves my apartment.
No, strike that, he leaves my life.
And that hurts far worse than his words ever could.
Chapter Fifteen
(Three months later)
Maddy
“There’s only one more week until summer vacation,” I tell my class.
The music of their cheers causes me to laugh.
“Are you going to miss me, at all?” I tease. “You’re going to a different grade next year, remember?”
“Yes, but you’re still going to be our teacher, silly.”
I smile knowing that Levi’s right. I’m the only special needs teacher currently employed at the elementary school. I’ll have these students until they either transition to main-stream classes or graduate to Jr. High. Whichever comes first.
“Alright. For homework, I want a seven-million-word essay on why you think having school over the summer is the best idea ever.”
The children groan and I can’t help but laugh.
“I’m teasing,” I sing as the dismissal bell rings. “Have a good weekend, everyone.”
“I’m so freaking mad.”
Reading Knox’s text, I shove my phone in my pocket with a smile. Whatever it is that he’s mad about is going to require all of my attention. I need to clean up first.
When I get in my car, I hit call and toss my phone in the passenger seat.
“I hate men,” Knox answers, his voice loud and very angry through my Bluetooth earbud.
“You are part of the group, you know,” I remind him.
“Well, then, I hate Dom’s.”
Ah. The Mongomery twins.
“What did they do this time?” I ask.
“I tried going on a date,” he tells me.