Chapter 78

Ichewed my lip as I gripped the steering wheel with both hands. What was I doing? I’d left my parents’ house on a whim—no warning and no word. I wasn’t even sure they knew I was gone yet. My father was still worked up, but I didn’t care.

Not a single part of me cared anymore.

And so I had left while he argued with my mother in the kitchen. Killian always kept spare keys in our house for the cars. I took those, packed an obscure amount of clothes, put on my favorite sweater, and left.

But I couldn’t leave without telling Killian I was sorry. It wouldn’t help him. It wouldn’t do him any good. I wasn’t even sure he’d believe me.

Still, I said what I needed to say.

And then I sat at a damn stop sign in the pouring rain with no idea where I was going. Vegas was probably the smart thing. Gabby was there. If anyone would understand, she would. I didn’t have much to offer, but I could figure it out. I could get a job and save up to get my own place. Maybe I’d get a cat so I wasn’t alone.

God help me, I didn’t know what I was going to do with myself. I was terrified. Determined but terrified.

Step one: get through the stop sign.

I could do this.

Easing off the brake, I started to roll through the stop sign when someone darted into my headlights. I squealed and stomped on the brakes as the person slammed their hands on the hood.

Killian.

“Killian?” I exclaimed as I rushed to put the car in park. The last thing I wanted to do was accidentally roll into him—I’d already done that once when he taught me how to drive. He braced himself against the car, sopping wet and breathing hard.

“Why are you leaving?” he asked, his voice muffled through the windshield. “What made you do it?”

“I just…” Before I knew what I was doing, I pushed open the door and stood to better face him.

“Why are you leaving, Genevieve?” Killian repeated.

“I told them the truth,” I said. His eyes widened. The look made my chest ache. It was so long overdue.

“Do you mean it? That you’re leaving?”

“I told them the truth… I can’t do this anymore… I can’t… I’m so tired of hurting. I want my son back,” I cried. Saying the words out loud hurt. From his pained expression, they hurt him too. “I want… I want to be happy again, Killian.”

“Do you still love me?” God, it killed me that he even felt he had to ask the question.

“I’ll always love you.”

“Don’t go,” he whispered. He couldn’t possibly mean that. Not after everything. “Don’t go, Genevieve.”

“Killian…”

“Stay.” He rounded the side of the car and closed the distance between us. His hands found my face, and his forehead pressed to mine. The desperation in his voice cut my heart open. “Please, stay. Stay with me. We can do this together. You and me.”

“Killian.” I swallowed hard. “Please… what if we can’t? What if we’re just kidding ourselves? What if we just fall apart all over again?”

“What if we don’t?” he challenged. His intense gaze held mine, skipping all the bullshit and chaos and touching my soul. “I’m not saying it’ll be fucking easy, princess. But I can’t live without you. I don’t want to. I’d rather work my ass off every day for the rest of my goddamn life to be with you than anything else.”

“I don’t know how,” I admitted pathetically when he just kept staring.

“You made it this far. You are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for, Genevieve. And you won’t have to do it alone. I’ll be there for all of it if you let me.” He kissed the tip of my nose as I shut my eyes. I was trembling, and it wasn’t from the cold. I didn’t know what to do. “Tell me you’ll stay, princess. Please. Stay with me.”