his eyes drenched in sadness. “She’s right. She found a better man. My brother is better than me in every way. He always has been. I’m some lonely loser who can’t keep his dick in his pants. And now I have you and I’m ruining this too. I have this woman who showed me I can love again, and I’m breaking her heart all over again because of what my brother did. All of the women in the world and he chooses her.” His sadness becomes anger again. “Now they’re getting married and having a baby.”
I continue to pace. Faster, stomping my sandal-clad feet across the bright green grass. “I get why this is bothering you. I understand your brother betrayed you. But it’s over, Kent. They’re moving on. Why can’t we?”
“We are,” he promises. “Rain, I love you. I love you more than I could ever love that cold-hearted thing in there.” He flicks his hand in the direction of the kitchen disgustedly. “But I can’t get over what my brother did to me. I can’t. You don’t understand. It’s like Becca being with me after you and I break up.”
I grab my chest at the example and groan in pain.
“You understand? Now imagine falling in love again. Would you be able to let it go even then?”
“No. I’d kill you both.” I glare at him, picturing him getting Becca pregnant and marrying her. The image makes fury move through me like an electrical shock.
“Believe me, I’ve thought it.” He chuckles uncomfortably. “I’m kidding,” he promises when I spin around to glare.
“What if they’re truly in love?”
He shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. They snuck around behind my back. They could’ve told me. Instead they waited for me to find them together. I went over to Scott’s hotel and what to do I find? Willow sucking his dick on her knees.”
I’m trying to put myself in his shoes. His distrust issues make perfect sense to me now. All of the anger he had towards women wasn’t much different than my abhorrence towards men. But we have to let that go now. It’s hurting us more than it’s saving us. Our pasts are trying to ruin our future.
I walk away.
“Where are you going?” he demands, stomping after me.
“I need a few minutes to accept the fact that no matter what I do my boyfriend will always be caught up on his ex and her fiancé.”
He grabs my hand and spins me around, pulling me against his chest. “You’re not going anywhere all week. You’re staying right by my side. Everything will go back to normal when we get back to Jacksonville.”
“Will it? How? It’s not fair I have to compete with two people who don’t even think about you anymore. They’re moving on with their lives and we’re fighting over them.”
He pulls me against him tighter. “You love me. Don’t forget.”
He keeps telling me to remember our love as if it wasn’t falling apart. I sense one of us needs to take a leap here, or we’ll succumb to the pain of our pasts. I yank myself free of him as my eyes sting. “I do love you. That’s why watching you fight over your ex is killing me. I should go home. I’ll call a taxi. We can talk about this later when you’re not covered in blood on your parents’ lawn.” I pull away and leave.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he growls, chasing after me.
“You’re not my boss, Kent Nicholson. I can do what I damn well please when I damn well want to.”
“Please stay, Rain. I won’t be able to get through this week without you.” His voice breaks and he stops chasing me. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry I can’t get over it the way you want. But I’m trying. I’m here with you, aren’t I? I never bring girls home. I introduced you to my parents; to the people I love. What more do I need to do?”
He looks pitiful. He’s covered in blood and his eyes are glossy. I relent rather unlovingly. “Fine. But I don’t want to see you unless I have to.”
“Not going to cut it. I need to see you or I’ll lose it.”
“Spoiled brat.” This time when I stomp away he doesn’t follow.
I walk toward the water and to a wooden walkway that leads through the property right up to the bay. I pick a spot at the deck and sit, letting the hot sun warm my face and the breeze coming of the