Love Survives (Love's Suicide #2)(57)

Kat wasn’t going to let it go. She ignored my comment. “You’re the only man that I’ve ever truly loved, Brooks. Look at me and tell me that I’m lying.”

She gave me that look; the one I couldn’t refuse. “It changes nothing. I won’t be a home wrecker. You never really belonged to Branch, but the man you’re married to doesn’t deserve to get his heart ripped out. If he loves you half as much as I do, that’s what will happen. I can’t live with myself for doing that. As much as it hurts me to say this, I’ve got to walk away from you, for good this time.”

Kat sat there crying, and I did nothing to stop her. If she only knew how many nights I’d cried myself to sleep, how many months I’d prayed to be with her again. If she could only be in my shoes for a day she’d know why this was impossible for me to handle.

With a car full of silence there was only one thing left to do. Before I lost it in front of her, I had to walk away. Before I managed to step out, I could feel the burning in my eyes. I turned back one more time, displaying years of pent up anguish all over my face. It was so hard to push the words out of my mouth, but I did my best. “Take care of yourself, Kat. Be a good mother and wife. Give them the love that we have and you’ll be happy. I know you will.”

I heard her getting out of the car and coming at me. She didn’t give me time to turn around before she had a hold of my uniform. “Don’t you dare walk away from me. I won’t let you say goodbye this time.”

Since I didn’t want to make a scene, I pulled her inside until we were standing in my office. From there I paced around the room, waiting for whatever else she thought she had to say to me.

Finally I sat down at my desk and watched her. She grabbed a few tissues and started wiping her face. “Please don’t do this. Don’t push me away.” She was sobbing so bad. “I can’t live without you. I don’t even want to.”

I leaned over my desk, making sure she was hearing me clearly. “Listen to yourself. You have a child. How can you say that without me you don’t want to live? Do you know what I would give to have a wife and a child? After everything I’ve seen, all I want is to care for the people I love.”

“You don’t understand.” She shook her head, seeming confused.

I stood, but didn’t leave from behind the desk. I was angry, so freaking angry. “Then tell me. Give me one reason why I shouldn’t watch you drive home to your family and never look back.”

“I can’t. You’ll never forgive me. I’ve ruined everything. I’m so sorry, Brooks. Please don’t say goodbye. Don’t give up on us.”

I had to put my head down. It was too much for me. “Kat, I can’t do this with you. I’m already going to hear shit for you coming here. This is a serious place and I have a damn job to do. This isn’t high school anymore. I can’t deal with the drama and I won’t be involved with a married woman. Please if you have nothing else to say then you have to go.”

“What about our love?” Her question struck a nerve, probably the last one I had.

“Our love has never been our problem.”

Just when I thought there was nothing left to say, Kat’s next words sent me to my knees.

“She’s yours, Brooks.”

“What?” Was this some joke? Was she willing to say anything to keep me from making her leave?

“My daughter. My husband isn’t the father, Brooks, you are.”





Chapter 28


No. This wasn’t possible. Her words echoed off the walls, causing me to hear them more than once. I couldn’t be the father. There was no way. Unable to accept her confession as the truth, I wanted more of an explanation. “Come again?”

Kat was bawling in her hands. I recognized this type of expression from her. It was genuine, but I wasn’t sure if it was because she was telling me a deep secret, or feeling horrible about it. “She’s yours.”

“Why would you say that to me? We spent one night together in a hotel room.” It made no sense. If she was anyone’s child it would have been my brother’s. For her to pin this on me made me want to send her out the door.

She cleaned her face with a tissue while answering me. “Because I hadn’t been with Branch since before I had my last cycle. My doctor, who gave me the exact date of conception, also verified it. She’s yours, Brooks.”

She dug into her purse, pulling out a phone. At first I wondered if she was breaking out a calendar to show me more proof, but what she showed instead said it all. “See for yourself.”

I jerked the phone from her grasp and began looking down at the photo. The resemblance was uncanny. This child was my blood. I couldn’t deny it. In that moment I knew she was telling me the truth. Had it been Branch’s child she would have gone home. She kept this a secret for one reason alone.

This child was mine.

“Her name is Brooklyn Michaela Valentine. I named her after you.”

I couldn’t handle what was happening inside of my body. Not only had this woman ripped out my heart, but she stuck it back in and squished it in the palm on her hand. She’d kept this from me. We’d been in contact for months and she’d never mentioned this child. I would have had more reason to stay positive. I would have done everything in my power to get to them sooner. This was unacceptable! I couldn’t deal with her sitting across from me. I’d never been so mad at someone in my whole life. She’d betrayed me in a way that I never thought possible. It was time for this meeting to end. “Kat, I think you need to leave. Please, just f*cking go. Get out of here!” I was adamant and to the point. This conversation was done, and so were we.