Trust In Forever (Book 12 in the Forever Series)

Chapter 20

Nick

I can't even put into words, how I felt when I realized Demi knew I cheated on her. I deserved the slap, she laid across my face. I deserve the hate, she had for me. I deserved the things she said to me. My heart was in pieces, because I know how bad she was hurting. I remember the way I felt, walking in on her with Rafe, so I knew the pain she was feeling. Of course, her pain was more severe because, not only did I actually have sex with another woman, she was also lied to for months. I was trying to protect her & our kids, but I hurt them all, just by hiding something so huge. Ironically, I was the one they needed to be protect from.

My chest tightened, when Demi said, "Don't come home tonight," then walked off, giving me little, to no hope, that we would ever be okay, again.

I tried to find my voice as I watched her walk toward the door. "Demi, wait." I called out, taking a few steps in her direction. She didn't slow down or even turn around. "Demi, please. We can work through this." I said as she got to the door & opened it. She didn't look back at me. Neither did Blanda. Both of them walked out the door, then Blanda slammed the door shut.

Silence filled the room as I stared at the shut door. I could feel the lump in my throat, as my chin quivered, thinking that I lost Demi forever. I knew Dani & Joe were watching me, both of them afraid to speak, but having a lot to say. "I know what you guys are thinking, right now." My voice was shaking, as I fought off tears. "I should have told her. I should have told her right after it happened."

"I know why you didn't." Joe said, in a quiet voice. "And honestly, what just happened, would have probably happened back in August, if you had told her."

My head fell back as I let out a ragged breath. "I've lost her."

"She just needs time, Nick."

I swallowed again, then the tears filled my eyes. I wanted to believe him, so I nodded my head. "Yea, maybe she just needs time." I looked over at Dani who was exchanging a look with Joe. "Do you think she just needs time?"

Dani seemed startled, looking over at me. "Yea.... she just needs time to calm down." Dani nodded her head, then reached to touch my arm, in a comforting way. "She's so upset, right now, but I think she will be okay, eventually."

I scowled, thinking of what Demi said to me, minutes earlier. "Who am I kidding? She isn't going to be okay. We aren't going to be okay. You heard her. She hates me."

"She's angry & hurt, so of course she thinks she hates you, but she doesn't. You've been together over twenty years." Dani said, with certainty.

"Yea, but I have never seen her that angry or that hurt. Not even when I had her committed." I ran my hands down my face. "You guys were right. I should have told her when it happened. If I would have told her before, I could have explained what happened & she would have been able to get past it because I was at least honest. Now, it just looks like I wanted to have sex with Eden & covered it up for months. She won't forgive me for this. She won't trust me again."

"I'm so sorry, Nick. I feel so bad. I didn't even think about my texts to Eden when I told Demi she could get in my phone."

"It's not your fault, Dani. I'm the one who lied to her for months. I should have told her. I was just so afraid of losing her & that's exactly what happened. The irony is I probably wouldn't have lost her if I had told her myself."

"She will realize that it was a mistake & once she knows what happened..."

I cut Dani off, mid sentence. "She knows what happened, but she doesn't know how it happened. I need to go talk to her."