Chapter 65
“What are you doing in my company, anyway?” I asked, mostly to keep him here and also because I was curious.
I sensed he was about to leave but he stopped and leaned against the doorframe, his arms folded, his eyes fixed on me with that familiar intensity that used to make my heart race. He shrugged and replied simply, “I told you, I came to see you.”
I raised an eyebrow, waiting for more, and he continued, “I’m an investor now. I’ve been working to make sure I can get to work with you one day.”
The news took me by surprise, and I couldn’t hide it. “An investor? Since when did you start doing that?”
*Since I realized I wanted a future where we might work together,” he said, his tone calm yet determined. “I’ve been building things, making connections, setting myself up so I’d have a reason to meet you again. For you.”
The words lingered in the air, and I let them sink in before I responded. “And what about your position in the pack?” I asked, folding my arms to mirror his stance. “What happens when you have to be there instead of here?”
He waved a hand dismissively. “Marcel has it covered whenever I need to go for a meeting. He’s more than capable.”
A slight frown creased my forehead as I tried to process everything he was saying. “So, you’re telling me you’re doing all this for me? It’s a bit…. drastic, don’t you think?” I gave a small laugh, more from disbelief than amusement. “Honestly, it’s futile. You know I don’t mix business with pleasure.”
He shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. “This isn’t about business, not really. I’m here to win you back. And I’m not going anywhere until I do. I
miss you, Sapphire,”
His words hit me like a weight pressing on my chest, awakening memories I’d tried hard to bury. The memories of a time when he’d broken my heart and left me reeling, wondering if I’d ever feel whole again.
“There’s no need for that,” I said. “I already convinced Charlie to give you a chance so he can get to know his father. That’s all this needs to be.”
He took a step closer, his gaze unwavering. “I don’t care about Charlie, no offense,” he added quickly as an afterthought, “but I came back before I even knew I had a kid. This was about you from the beginning. When you left me, I thought my life was over and I realized I was a monster to you,”
I blinked, taken aback. “So…. you don’t care about meeting him?”
“It’s not that I don’t care,” he clarified. “Of course, I want to know him. I’ll get to know him. But this,” he pointed to the both of us, “it’s what I came
back for.”
For a moment, I just stared at him, trying to reconcile the man in front of me with the memories I held. There was a time when I would’ve given anything to hear him say these things, to feel wanted, prioritized. But after everything he’d put me through, I didn’t know if I could let myself fall into that trap again.
“I don’t know if I can trust you again,” I admitted. “Not after all the damage you caused. You shattered me, and I had to pick up the pieces on my own. You can’t just waitz back in and expect everything to fall back into place. I know how much I suffered to glue myself back together because I was too broken to even function. I had to get a new identity that isn’t related to my father or your pack, I had to build a name for myself here because it was the only way I could move on.”
His face softened, and for the first time since he’d shown up, I saw something raw and vulnerable in his eyes. “I know I messed up. I treated you horribly. I was selfish, immature…. I was wrong, and I’m sorry.” He took another step closing the distance between us. “But I’m different now. I’ve changed, and I’m here because I want to make things right. For you.”
I swallowed hard, the words stirring emotions I’d tried to keep buried. “I don’t know if I believe that,” I said, feeling the sting of my own doubt.
“You don’t have to believe me right now,” he replied softly. “But let me prove it to you. I’m not asking for much, just a chance.”
I looked away, feeling the conflict bubbling up inside me. Part of me wanted to let my guard down, to believe that he could be the man he was promising to be. But the rational side of me, the part that had held itself together through all the pain, warned me to be cautious.
I knew how stupid the heart could be when faced with someone from the past but to be fair, this is the first time this has happened to me. I don’t know how to handle it without feeling like the bad person here.
I promised I would let Charlie get to know his father, it was important he knew his roots as well as have a father figure in his life but I wasn’t going to make him think this meant us getting back together and that included Aragon. Ldidn’t want to get my hopes up just to have it dashed away by him again, this time I don’t think I would be able to recover from it.
I’ve heard all of this before,” I said, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. “You told me you cared back then, too. You made promises that turned to nothing the minute Benita dangled an opportunity in front of you,”
Elis jaw tightened, but he kept his gaze steady on me. “You’re right. I can’t change what I did, but I can change what I do from here on out. And I want to show you that you can trust me again.”
“Trust isn’t something you can just demand, especially after you’ve broken it,” I said. “You left me when I needed you most, and now you think you can just come back and pick up where we left off?
His eyes flashed with something I couldn’t quite read. “I know it’s not going to be easy. I don’t expect you to forgive me right away, but I’m willing to put in the work I want to be there for you for both of you.”
For both of you. The words echoed in my mind, and I knew he was talking about Charlie. I could see the sincerity in his eyes, the regret, but there was a part of me that was still hesitant to let him in, to risk reopening the wounds I’d worked so hard to heal.
Sting
1902
Chapter 65
“Fine,” I said after a long pause, my tone guarded. “I’ll arrange for you to meet Charlie. He deserves to know his father. But that’s all this is going to
I don’t think I would be attempting that this time. You have just be. Don’t expect anything more than that. I didn’t trust you before and you hurt me, one chance to get it right.”
He nodded, a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Thank you,” he said. “I’ll take whatever chance you’re willing to give me, even if it’s small.” A part of me wanted to believe he was genuine, that he’d changed and that he truly wanted to make things right. But I’d learned the hard way that actions spoke louder than words. If he wanted to prove himself, he’d have to do it over time, not with sweet promises that could easily be broken. “I’ll let you know when we’re ready,” I said, already feeling a pang of regret at the vulnerability I’d shown.
He looked at me, his eyes filled with an emotion I wasn’t sure I wanted to name. “I won’t let you down,” he promised. “I’ll be here whenever you’re ready. I’m not giving up on us.”
I turned away, unable to bear the intensity of his gaze. I had no intention of letting him back into my life as anything more than Charlie’s father, and I wasn’t going to let myself be pulled into his orbit again. But as he walked away, a tiny, treacherous part of me wondered if maybe, just maybe, he’d actually changed or he was saying the things I needed to hear just to get the things he wanted from me.
But I knew better than to get my hopes up. Words were just words, and I’d need to see proof before I let my guard down. He’d have to earn his place in my life and more importantly, in Charlie’s.
I couldn’t trust myself to be around him right now which is pretty much how I ended up pregnant with Charlie and pretty much in this situation. I didn’t intend to create more problems for myself.
