Chasing Heartbreak (Dark Love #6) - Kat T. Masen Page 0,34
wound, the blood so effortlessly pouring out with every breath he takes. There’s so much to take in, and now, Charlie makes sense. Noah Mason is a broken man, tormenting himself over a mistake with dire consequences. Questions are flooding my thoughts, each one fighting for attention. But I try to control myself, asking only what’s necessary rather than get into the semantics of it all.
“How did Morgan take it? The news about Olivia?”
“How do you think?”
“Noah, I don’t understand how you and Morgan fell apart. You have a daughter, Jessa, right?”
He nods, clasping his hands. I can see his struggle, the way his emotions sting causing a pained stare into the dark night.
“She wants her career over staying with Jessa. Both our jobs are demanding, and the more we began squabbling over the small things, the bigger they became. I can’t change who she is. Her sister, Scarlett, will always be her number one priority. I just thought when we had Jessa, things would change,” his voice croaks, the vulnerability in his admission leaving a heavy feeling all over me. “Between her stepson, Michael, Jessa, and Scarlett, there isn’t time left for me. Morgan has always been the carer for many people, and I respect that, but I want a wife who will be by my side when I propose marriage. I don’t expect to have to vie for her attention.”
I nod my head, listening to him pour his heart out. With so many people involved, it’s never going to be easy, but quite possibly Noah’s biggest mistake is thinking he can change who Morgan is.
“And who initiated the separation?” I ask.
“Her. I thought it would be good given how toxic we had become, and time apart would help us see what we want, but it has driven us further apart. The papers blindsided me on Christmas Eve, out of all nights.”
“I’m sorry,” is all I can say.
“After that night, Morgan reached out to me to try to make it work, and I wanted to try for the sake of Jessa. We were together for four months. We attended marriage counseling, then Olivia texted me. I fucked up, Kate.” Noah buries his head into his hands, trying to hide the anguish.
“Hey.” I reach my hand out and touch his arm. “You didn’t fuck up. This is life. We make good decisions, and we make bad ones.”
He raises his head with bloodshot eyes, the vacant stare behind the normally bright hazel orbs worries me to no avail.
“I’m too old to be making bad decisions. I have two kids.”
“You’re never too old to make bad decisions,” I tell him. “But sometimes those bad decisions end up being the path to something right. I’m not going to pretend to understand, but you’ll get through this. You’re strong, Noah.”
“I hope you’re right.”
I lay back down on the chair. “I’m always right.”
Noah shakes his head, a smile finally escaping his lips. “Typical French, so arrogant.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Letting out a yawn, I decide to call it a night, noting it’s late. “I need to sleep. Will you be okay out here?”
“Mieux vaut être seul que mal accompagné,” he says with a smile.
“Better to be alone than in bad company?” I translate with a playful grin. “Since when do you speak French? Plus, I resent that. I’m only bad in the States, specifically Malibu, on the beach. In France, I’m an angel.”
Noah’s eyes dance with delight, the familiar flicker returning as his lips simper. “Sure. Good night, Kate.”
I stand—slightly dizzy from the champagne—to head back to my room but stop in my tracks. “Noah, you were right. About the whole Dominic thing. I’m not perfect, just like you. We all make mistakes, no matter how adult we think we are at times.”
I expect Noah to give me a lecture on self-worth, or better yet, a list of reasons why I shouldn’t be fucking a married guy who owns a sex club, but it never comes. Instead, he continues to lay, staring at the stars.
“Of course, I’m right. I still know you better than anyone else.”
His words resonate and hold so much truth. I never realized how much I miss conversing with an adult, and especially how much I miss Noah. And before heading to bed, I raise my eyes to meet with the stars.
Somewhere in this crazy universe of ours, someone is playing a game. The dice have been rolled, and the next move could determine everything or maybe nothing at all.