Mr. Big Shot: An Enemies To Lovers Romance (Kinda Cocky Book 1), стр. 48

“Then, it happened,” he said.

“What happened, Zane?”

His eyes stared off. “The drunk driver just came out of nowhere, Karina.”

“My God,” I whispered.

“He came out of nowhere, and I tried all I could. I steered her side of the car out of the way. I tried to speed up and get around the cascading vehicle. I even tried bracing my arm against her chest so she couldn't go anywhere. But, none of it worked. I walked away, and she was dead before the car stopped rolling. My beautiful, sweet, amazing fiancee, lifeless, with her eyes wide open.”

I blinked back tears. “I’m so sorry, Zane.”

He shook his head. “I owe you the greatest of apologies, Karina. What I’ve done to you is wrong. Every time I feel like I’m getting close to you, I also feel like I’m doing her memory a disservice. Like I’m cheating on Lindsay, you know?”

“Of course. You loved her. And she’ll always be part of you because of that.”

Then, he finally shifted his eyes and looked at me.

“My God, you look amazing,” he said.

I smiled softly. “Thank you. You pick out very nice outfits.”

He sighed. “I’ve walked in fear ever since, Karina. Every time I get close to someone, I wonder when I’m going to lose them. And then, that fight or flight kicks in, and I figure--.”

“It’s easier to walk away than be walked away from.”

He nodded slowly. “The night I was supposed to meet you for our date, her sister called.”

“Lindsay’s sister?”

“Mhm. She called, and she was a wreck. And we were in Hawaii. I started scrolling through my laptop, looking at pictures. I stumbled upon her eulogy, Karina. The eulogy I read at a funeral that should have never happened. And I just…”

I hung onto every word. “Where did you go that night? Instead of the bar?”

He sniffled. “The vacation house. I lost track of time. All of it. It was like I was in a trance. And by the time I looked at a clock, it was three in the morning. I’m so sorry, Karina. I never should have--.”

“Zane, stop.”

He swallowed hard, but he didn’t say anything else.

“That’s why you’re so obsessed with work.”

“Yes,” he whispered.

“That’s why you keep everyone at arm’s length.”

“It is.”

“I’m sure if she loved you the way you loved her, though, she’d want you to be happy. I’m sure she wouldn't approve of this shell of a man you’ve become. I know that would make her sad. It would make anyone sad. Hell, it makes me sad, and I hardly know you.”

Then, his eyes met mine again. “I can’t lose you, Karina.”

I blinked. “What?”

He stepped off his platform and came to crouch in front of me.

“I can’t lose you. I can’t bear to lose someone else. Especially someone I--.”

I held my breath as he took my hand.

“I have to let go of what happened to Lindsay. And I’m not saying it’ll happen overnight. She's always going to be a part of me. My late fiancee influenced me in so many ways. Just like your ex in high school influenced you. But I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want you to go home. Stay with me in Vegas. Take your job back. Give me one more chance to treat you the way you deserve. Both in a personal and a professional atmosphere.”

My heart slammed against my chest. “No more standing me up?”

“Never again. You have my word.”

“No more fucking me and then forgetting me?”

He grimaced. “I’ve been an asshole, and I’ll apologize every single day for the rest of the year if it helps.”

“Actually, I’d like something else if I’m going to come back.”

He sat beside me. “You name it beautiful.”

“Every day, until you’ve processed this, I want to hear a story about Lindsay.”

He blinked. “What?”

I cupped his cheek. “I know what it takes to get over the loss of someone. And it sounds like, in some respects, you haven’t processed what happened. That has to happen first before we can do anything. I’m sure you know that.”

“Please don’t leave me.”

My heart was full. “I’m not. I’ll stay. If you agree to that one condition.”

“So, you’re staying?”

I nodded. “If you agree to that, yes.”

He smiled. “Okay, then. One story about Lindsay every day until we can work through it. Over lunch together? In my office?”

I smiled with him. “I’d love nothing more, Zane.”

As he leaned forward, his lips capturing my own, I felt my worries fade away. I felt my insecurities fall to the floor. I felt my heart rebuild itself, and I felt my gut loosen from the fear that had gripped it for days. I wrapped my arms around Zane’s neck as he pulled me into his lap. People cheered from the bridge as we rode slowly beneath it, the shadows temporarily cloaking us from the rest of the world.

I knew I loved that man. For better, and for worse.

And if he could admit that he needed time to fix himself, then I had the time to give him.

I would give him anything, so long as I had him in my life.