Love Me: WITSEC Series book 3 by Rostek Ashley N

Author:Rostek, Ashley N.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-09-30T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Keelan helped me carry the groceries that had been forgotten on my coffee table over to his house and then helped me unpack and put them away. Right away, I tried to lose myself in the task of preparing reheatable meals I’d planned for Keelan and a hearty dinner for tonight. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. My mind raced as I collected ingredients, then began chopping vegetables and herbs. What had happened with Logan had been too shocking—too ugly to ignore.

Keelan sat at the island, quietly watching my every move. “I’m here when you’re ready,” he said with a gentleness that nearly shattered my fragile will to stay strong.

I paused in my chopping, knife mid-slice through an onion. “I could take the awful things Logan said to heart. I could let it feed into my already-heavy guilt. But I’m not going to.” I continued chopping. “Grief can be a catastrophic thing. You can let it destroy either you or those around you. I know I’m making it sound like a choice. It is and it’s not. Like all things in life, how grief is handled is based on choices. What no one prepares you for is how cruel and manipulative a bastard grief can be or how it uses your pain to beat you down again and again. Grief clouds the roads laid before you and it’s so easy to get lost.”

With a heavy sigh, I set down my knife. My eyes kept blurring and I didn’t want to chop off a finger. I glanced up at the ceiling to regain my composure. “I can choose to be mad and hurt right now or I can set those feelings aside and understand that Logan is lost in his grief. I knew he was hurting. I just…I just didn’t know how badly until today.”

“Grief doesn’t excuse hurting others,” he said. “And you’re allowed to feel hurt by him, because he will hurt you again and again, and every time he will rationalize doing so.”

“Because he’s desperate to get back to hunting Mr. X.”

Keelan nodded. “You’re allowed to reach that moment where enough is enough and not tolerate anymore. But when you reach that moment is up to you.”

I sniffled. “I can’t give up on him.”

“Explaining to him that you’re done being hurt by him isn’t giving up on him.”

“What if he doesn’t respect that?” I asked.

He gave me a sad look. “I don’t know. But whatever happens, you won’t have to face it alone.”

I nodded.

“What are you cooking?” he asked.

I told him what I had planned to do for him to make life a little bit easier while he healed.

“You’re doing this all for me?”

Giving him my back, I started adding ingredients to a pot. “Isn’t that what you do for someone you love? Be there for them, or in this case, offer comfort the best way you know how in a difficult time?”

I heard his chair move before I felt his presence behind me. With an arm around my waist, he spun me to face him and held me against his chest.

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