BROKEN VOWS (Broken Redemption Book 1)

Chapter 25

Lucas

"Where is she?" I ask, rushing past Ben while scanning the busy dining room behind him. The need to see her and make sure she's okay outweighs everything else right now.

"In the back office with Aunt Rosie, but..."

Not interested in whatever he has to say, I walk past him, pulling Nero along, so he follows. In my periphery, the room blurs, and all I see is the bright red door that separates me from the woman I love. Yet another barrier. This is how it is between the universe and me. Forever dangling things I can't live without, on the other side of obstacles I can't breach.

Knocking on the door, I glance at Nero, whose deep brown eyes look up at me with understanding. "Embree, it's me. I'm coming in."

When I enter, I find her sitting on the small loveseat next to her Aunt. Her knees are drawn to her chest, her eyes red and rimmed with unshed tears, but that all changes the moment she sees me. Coming to a stand, she wraps her arms around herself and lifts her chin in defiance.

"What are you doing here?" She's angry. It makes sense, given I walked out on her the last time we spoke. That was four days ago. I was so conflicted after hearing her declare her love for her husband, I thought it would be best to keep my distance. Now I see that the apology I owe her is four days too late.

"I came as soon as Ben called. I needed to see you were okay."

Never breaking our stare down, she says, "Aunt Rosie, could you give us a minute?"

"Of course, dear. It's so nice to see you again Luc." Aunt Rosie wraps me up in a warm hug before whispering, "Whatever you did, make it right. She needs you right now."

Returning the hug, I nod and then watch as she turns to leave the room. The soft click of the door closing leaves Embree, Nero and I standing in awkward silence. Uncertainty fills the air and based on how she's looking at me, it's obvious she doesn't want me here. Her continued silence speaks volumes and makes my skin crawl. The fear she'll send me away leaves me desperate to try and set things right.

"I'm sorry," I say on an exhale, my head hung in shame.

Unable to face the scrutiny in those whiskey eyes, I turn away from her. The wall in front of me is crowded with pictures of Aunt Rosie's family. Moments of happiness with her daughter and late husband are captured and displayed with loving care. At one time, my family home held pictures just like these. Framed snippets of a happy life, burned and destroyed by the same flames that stole my parents away. Swallowing back the sudden wave of grief, I shake my head and take a deep breath. Now isn't the time. This moment can't be about me.

"I shouldn't have walked out the way I did." I hang my head again, the weight of my regret making everything heavy.

"But you did." Her voice behind me is curt. It's a tone I've never heard from her before, and the shock of it has me spinning around to face her. "Which is fine." The quiver in her chin says otherwise.

Leaning against the desk, she pulls her shoulders back, probably in an attempt to exude confidence. But try as she might, she can't hide the hurt buried underneath all the pretense. At least not from me.

"I understand why you did. My life is complicated, and it was wrong to expect you to drop everything to help me. So I'm giving you an out. You can go back to your life, Lucas. It's better this way since all we seem to do is disappoint one another."

With that final blow delivered, she leaves the room. Taking with her all the hope and warmth I'd just begun to feel in my cold, jaded heart. The trust I've worked so hard to build over the past couple of weeks shattered and broken in the end. Our friendship, never mind the chance at anything more, is now tainted, all because I was too selfish to put my feelings aside.