Pride and Papercuts (The Austens #5) - Staci Hart Page 0,63

my throat, and I swallowed, forcing them down so I could try again. “You’re all I have, George. You are the anchor, my tether to this world. I know … I know I’m not easy. I know I do more harm than good. But protecting you is the only way I can stop the one thing I love in this world from being broken.” The words cracked, the corners of my eyes stinging. I swallowed again, schooling myself. “Wickham shattered you,” I said, steadier. “If that happened again when I could have stopped it, I wouldn’t forgive myself.”

“But you aren’t responsible for me,” she said through tears, and I let her come closer. “You were for a little while, but you’re not anymore.”

“But I am.”

“No, you’re not.” She took my hand in both of hers. “You have to have faith in me. You have to trust that I won’t make the same mistake again. It was you who taught me, after all.”

I pulled her into my chest so she couldn’t see my face, my control slipping. “He’s important to you.”

“He is.”

“And you trust him?”

“I do.”

This was the crux of everything, the true fulcrum of the situation. It sank in with cold clarity and fear—I had no control over her heart, and if I wanted her to be happy, I couldn’t stop her. Not from this.

The things she’d accused me of were true.

I was wrong.

It was just as unreasonable as Catherine’s edicts, regardless of intentions. And if my father were here, I suspected he’d be ashamed.

There was one last thing to say before I committed to doing whatever it took to defend Georgie’s happiness.

Because my support didn’t mean any of this would be easy.

I sighed, but it did little to vent the pressure in my chest. “I have your back. Always. You know that.”

She nodded, her cheek rasping my shirt.

“If you want to do this, I will trust you. I will back you up. But I want you to listen to what I’m about to say, and I want you to be sure.” When she didn’t speak up, I took a breath and laid it all out. “I will go to battle for your happiness without provocation. But this time, I’m not fighting Wyatt. I’m fighting Catherine.”

She stilled in my arms.

“Catherine,” I said again. “The last living relative we have. The woman who, despite her exterior, took us in like no one else did. We’re the closest thing she has to children, and she’s the closest thing to a parent we have. And you seeing him holds the power to break that irrevocably. It’s easy to say you can walk away. It’s another thing to do it. To leave everything Dad left for us, to abandon your place at the company, to walk away from Catherine … to say you’ll leave it all sounds easy enough. But they’re only words. Can you imagine actually doing it?”

Her shoulders hitched with a sob.

My heart broke with hers.

“And there’s whatever retribution Catherine might lay on you, on me. In her spite, in her pain, she will punish us. She might even punish the Bennets. I will shield you from that as best I can, but Georgie, your happiness doesn’t depend on me like you think it does. It depends on her.”

“W-what if we started over? Started a new company?”

“We could do that,” I answered, still holding her close, “but is that what you want? If he is that important to you, then let’s start over. But what happens when you break up? If it goes badly and you’re alone again, will you regret the choice?”

Another hitch that dissolved into a shuddering breath. “M-maybe I could talk to her. Maybe she’ll see reason.”

“Maybe she will. Let me talk to her. Feel her out. But … just remember who she is. She doesn’t let anything go, not ever. If it were a matter of his status or class, it’d be easier to manage. But a family she perceives as an enemy? A threat?”

I didn’t have to do any more convincing—her fresh wave of tears was enough of an answer.

My own wave of emotion rose again with understanding. I could never have Laney either.

“It’s not fair,” she whispered.

“I know.” I smoothed her hair like I had so many times before. “I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

“It’s going to be all right,” I promised.

But she didn’t answer, didn’t agree. And I didn’t blame her.

I didn’t believe it either.

20

Point. Snip.

LANEY

That afternoon, I headed to Mom’s early to wander around the greenhouse with