Page 3 of Written with You (The Regret Duet 2)
She quirked an eyebrow. “Yes, you did all of those wonderful things that only a perfect loving sister would do. And then you cut off my bank cards, guilt-tripped me into rehab, sold my car, kicked me out of the house, and fired me. So…”
“You were slowly killing yourself. What did you expect me to do?”
“Let me!” she roared. “Just fucking let me go!”
“You promised me!” I yelled back, my scream so loud that it rattled the windows.
Her mouth clamped shut, the surprise of my outburst momentarily stunning her into silence.
And I pounced. With a long stride forward, I closed the distance between us and stabbed a finger at her chest. “When Grandpa died, you held my hand and promised me that you’d never leave. You swore to me that you’d live forever if you had to so I’d never have to bury anyone else. You sat on that pew beside me and told me that we were two halves to one soul. Wherever I went, you’d be there too.” My voice cracked as I forced it through the emotion. I had no idea if I was getting through the cloud of drugs in her system. Worse, I had no idea if she even cared anymore. But, dammit, I had to try. “Where is that woman, Hadley? Just tell me where she is and I will walk through hell to find her.”
It was slight at first, the tiniest chin quiver ever witnessed. But my heart soared knowing she was still in there.
I took her hand in both of mine and brought it up to rest on my chest. “It’s me and you, Hadley. It’s always been me and you. I’m here. Be here with me. I’m begging you. Just be here with me.”
I was damn near euphoric as I watched it happen. Her tough exterior crumbling to reveal that familiar broken and scared little girl was the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen.
My sister was still in there, lost in addiction, stolen by an obsession, and shattered by a gruesome past that owned us both.
But she was in there. Therefore, I was there too.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “I should have told you about Keira. I should have…” She didn’t finish the thought before pulling me into a hug.
Hadley gave the best hugs. They were just like our mother’s—so warm and soothing, like the perfect cocoon of assurance.
“I didn’t know what to do with a baby,” she confessed. “It was a really…dark time.”
I returned her embrace, hoping it was even a fraction as good as hers. “I know I’m a nosy little brat and read all your journals.” We both half laughed and half sobbed. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I can’t imagine how scared you had to be when you were in labor. I should have been there.”
She loosened her hold on me and leaned away to capture my gaze. “Stop. You didn’t know.”
“I feel like—”
“No. Please. I don’t want to talk about this right now. Let me sober up. Let’s order some food and then maybe watch a movie? You finally watch TV now, right?”
I laughed sadly. “You’d be so proud. I ordered Netflix and everything.”
“Gasp!” she said with a teasing half smile. “You rebel.”
I smiled back at her. “We’re going to figure this out. Okay? No matter what it takes. We’re going to figure this out.”
“Okay.” She rubbed the pad of her thumb over my tear-streaked cheek. “Go wash your face. Your mascara is running like you were in a horror movie.”
Truth be told, our entire life had been a horror movie. It was nothing new. But maybe it could be.
Hadley had a daughter.
We could be a family again.
And that family, in some crazy way, now included Caven Hunt.
I could spend the rest of my life being bitter and jealous that she’d gone after him. That she’d slept with him. Made a baby with him. Given that child to him to raise on his own.
But my family was more important than any of that.
Hadley had a daughter.
I had a niece.
Her name was Keira.
That was all that mattered.
And as I walked back from the bathroom two minutes later after washing my face and grabbing my phone to order delivery, I realized that that little girl was all that would ever matter.
Because Hadley was gone.
So were my keys.
My purse.
And my heart.CAVENPresent day…“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you,” I sang as I carried a cake covered with rainbow sprinkles and a bonfire of candles out to the back deck. Rosalee was leading the march, swaying under the sheer weight of the pink gift bag she was hauling with both hands.
I’d felt like an ass for not buying anything for Hadley. But I hadn’t even known it was her birthday until the night before. I also hadn’t known I was going to end my night fucking us both into oblivion.
