Wreck Me (Corrupt Legacy Series #2)

She blinks at me, opening and closing her mouth.

“I’m leaving, and I swear I will try my best to stay away this time. But I want us to end right. No more stolen nights and fucks that lead us nowhere. We’ve been through that once. Twice. We have to end the cycle.”

Her eyes well up, and she clutches those papers to her chest. Her pain becomes my pain.

“I lied to you. I let you believe even more lies. Let me rectify those. I wouldn’t even know what another pussy looks like because yours has been the only one I saw, kissed, licked, fucked. And baby, it’s beyond beautiful.”

She cups her mouth, crying silently. “When I left two years ago, I put in all the hard work to become the man you’d be proud to call yours. I bought this house hoping to raise our family here in your favorite place, in the home where we gave each other our firsts. I gave my body to you here. I gave my heart to you here. I gave you everything.”

She drops to her knees, the paperwork scattering.

I approach her and kneel in front of her, lifting her chin.

“If you see me on the podium, remember it’s because I want you to be proud of me. If you see me and think I’m with someone, remember I’m not because I’m with you. If you see me and think I’ve stopped loving you, remember I haven’t, because I’ll die loving you. If you think of me at times, remember, I’m thinking just of you.”

I kiss her lips, lingering a moment longer to cement our last kiss in my memory forever, and leave, not turning around. It hurts so much that with every step I take, a piece of me dislodges and stays behind with her. As I walk away, I am dying bit by bit. I remind myself I’m doing this for her, and that strengthens my resolve.

Before I can close the door, she screams my name. The windows vibrate with the anguish in her voice.

Get in the car. You did what you came for. Leave already.

With every step I take, I hear her sobs, making my resolve crumble.

Just walk away. You’re the reason she’s conflicted.

I stop when I hear a thump, and I run back inside to see her ring on the floor. Abigail lifts her foot and stomps on it again and again and again.

“I don’t love Kaden like that. I never did, and this fucking ring is not his. It’s his father’s.”

She falls to the ground and puts her head between her hands, rocking herself. She shivers so badly, breaking my heart to shreds. I gather her in my arms and bring her to the couch, holding onto her.

“He’s going to kill me this time, and it’s okay.”

“Who is going to kill you?”

I ask as gently as I can, trying not to scare her while murderous energy courses through me. I’m losing my shit by the second.

Her breath hitches, and she squeezes her eyes shut as if trying to keep everything from getting out. My instincts lead, and I lift my hand, caressing her cheek, wanting to comfort her and make her open up. This moment feels monumental. The air around us carries a heavy implication, and I sense the shift.

“Princess, you’re safe with me.”

“Felix,” she says through a gulp. When she opens her eyes, they glisten with tears, terror filling them. He just became my number one enemy. The one I will make regret the day he hurt her.

Leaning in, I kiss both her teary eyes, my thumbs caressing the wetness from her cheeks. I’m afraid if I open my mouth to speak, my anguish will make her stop confessing, so I let my touch do the talking for now.

Abigail inhales the biggest gulp of air and holds my gaze as if she needs visual contact to continue, so I offer her a nod and a small smile.

“He killed our baby too. That’s why I said sorry in the car; I couldn’t protect it. That’s why I have two flames.” She hiccups so strongly that my hand automatically caresses her back to soothe her, and trying to stay anchored and not let her words splinter my heart.

“One is for you and one for what we could have had.”

“Look at me.” I need her to tell me it’s not true, but I know it is.

She shakes her head and continues. “The first time I chose Kaden and not you is because his father sent someone to kill you. I can survive everything, but only if I know you’re safe.”

“What happened?” My voice is groggy, scraping at my throat.

She fidgets with her fingers in her lap, but I place my hands on them. Brushing my thumbs up and down her wrists, she stops.