Conviction (Consolation Duet #2)(3)

“I need a minute. I need a few of them. I love you, but I have to go.”

My heart shatters all over again. I’ve lost him.

“If you leave me, I don’t think you’re coming back,” I say, hoping he’ll refute me and give the comfort I’m desperate for.

Liam rests his forehead against mine. “I’m never far. You need to get through this without worrying about me.”

“You think I can do that? You think right now as happy as I am he’s alive. That I’m not distraught? That I’m not worried about how the hell you and I will survive this? I’ll worry every day about you and us.” I beg him to stay. I need him to stay.

“Aaron and you had a whole life together. We had a few months.”

“Don’t you dare downplay what we have!” I fight the urge to slap him again.

Liam runs his fingers the length of my arm. “I need you to see this from my side. I never knew if you’d have chosen him, but now I don’t know if you should choose me. I need to get my f*cking head on straight. Right now, you have to let me go.” Liam’s eyes mirror mine with the agony of this moment.

I fight the tears that build. As much as I know he’s right, I wish he were wrong. I don’t know how to navigate this. It’s too much. My heart had healed, and instantly I’m raw all over again. There was a time that Aaron was everything I wanted. Now that he’s back in my life, I no longer want him. If any prayer I wish went unanswered, it was this one, only because now I have to endure the pain of breaking a man I love. But my life doesn’t work that way.

“I want you to know something before you walk away from me. I need you to know that I want you. You are the man I’m in love with. Yes, he’s my husband and Aarabelle’s father, but I love you, Liam. I love you so much more than I want to, but God, I love you. Please, hear me. I love you.”

“I love you too, but I have to do what’s right.”

“Right for who?” I scoff.

Liam leans back and waits until I look at him. His blue eyes shimmer with unshed tears. “For you. For Aarabelle. For all of us. I can’t be the man who destroys a marriage, and sure as f*ck not yours and Aaron’s.”

There’s no convincing him, and all I can hope for at this moment is that he heard me.

Before I can respond, I hear someone approach from behind. Liam looks up, and by the flash in his eyes, I know it’s Aaron.

“I hate to break up this touching scene, but I’ve been gone more than a year and this isn’t exactly the reunion I anticipated.” Aaron’s voice is on the edge. “If I could have my wife, brother.”

I don’t miss the way he enunciates “wife” or “brother.”

Liam doesn’t say anything, but his arms fall, as does my heart.

He walks away without a word. I face my husband, my first love, with tears in my eyes as the man I love more than anything leaves me behind.

I want to die.





Aaron and I walk toward the back of the house where Jackson and Mark are standing. Jackson shifts, and I smother the urge to punch him in the face. “No one thought a heads up would be a good idea?” I spit the words. “No one thought I should know this? Did your cell phones all die? Because I can’t think of any reason why you all wouldn’t want to tell me.”

“Natalie,” Mark steps toward me. “First of all, none of us knew if it was definitely Aaron. Secondly, we couldn’t compromise the mission. This all had to happen very secretly and very covertly. And what, did you want us to call on the way over? No one knew how to handle this.”

Jackson takes a hesitant footstep. “I know you were getting your life together. I know you were happy, and for that, I’m sorry. No one here would want to hurt you. Least of all me.”

“Sure, you’re sorry.” Anger flows through me, tearing me apart.

His head bows then he turns to Aaron. “We should let you guys talk. Remember what I said about a lot changing in a year. But I’m glad you’re home.”

Aaron looks at me before turning back to Jackson. “I appreciate it. I’m happy to be back with my girls.”

The last few months rush back. I remember how I felt finding out about his transgressions. How he loved another woman. My mind starts to wonder if he means me and Aarabelle, or me and Brittany.

I can’t listen to this. I need to get a grip on what the hell is festering inside of me. There are so many things I’m feeling all at once. I walk down onto the beach, the sand burning my feet, and I welcome the pain. I stand still, lifting my head to the sky. Why? I ask the clouds. This should be a happy moment. One filled with hugs and tears of joy, but I’m left feeling as if a gaping hole was punched through my chest. Just when I thought my life was on track—boom.

My mind drifts to Liam and how devastated he was. His eyes lost the spark I loved to see. I don’t know where my life will go—once again. There are no easy answers in this situation. I have a husband, a baby, a boyfriend, and suddenly a shitload of problems. But I need him to see that I meant what I said. I want him beside me.

“Are we going to talk?” I hear Aaron ask from behind me. The raspy voice that once made me long for him now makes me want to cry.

I turn as he stands still, waiting for something from me. “No, I’d rather not. I feel like I’m about to wake up any moment, so I’m just waiting for it to happen. All of this is so confusing,” I reply and wish I could slap myself.