Chapter 441
Reese had gone completely silent behind me. He stood at the foot of
the bed, arms stiff at his sides, eyes locked onto his brother as though
looking away might shatter him.
I reached Roman’s bedside and lifted my trembling hand, brushing
my fingers over his cheek. “Hi, my love,” I whispered. “I miss you so
much.”
His skin was smooth beneath my touch, just as it always had been,
but colder than it should’ve been. The chill seeped into my bones,
and I swallowed hard against the sob threatening to escape.
“How did this even happen?” Reese asked suddenly. His voice was
tight and strained like he was holding himself together by sheer force
of will.
Tears blurred my vision.
“I didn’t mean to,” I said, my voice breaking. “It was Julius’s fault. He
wanted to shoot my mom. I didn’t know Roman was in the way.” I
shook my head, breath hitching. “We were both holding the gun.
Julius and I.”
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Chapter 441
Reese’s jaw clenched, his face hardening into something dangerous.
“Who fired the gun?” he asked. His eyes never left Roman.
I opened my mouth–then closed it.
“I… I don’t know,” I admitted helplessly. “Everything happened so
fast. We were both struggling. My finger was on the trigger, but–you
know I’d never hurt Roman. Not intentionally.”
“I know,” Reese said immediately.
The words loosened something inside me.
I exhaled a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, relief washing
through me. I didn’t think I could survive Reese hating me on top of
everything else.
I reached for Roman’s hand, lifting it gently and pressing it against
my cheek. His fingers were limp in mine, unresponsive.
“I’m so sorry,” I sobbed. “I wish I could go back. I never would’ve
pressured you. I never would’ve let you go there. I never would’ve
dropped the gun. I never would’ve fought Julius.” My shoulders shook
violently, “I’m really sorry, Roman,” I cried. “I love you. I love you so
much.”
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The words poured out of me–raw, unfiltered, desperate. I didn’t care
that Reese was there. I didn’t care how I looked. Shame had no place
here.
All that existed was the man lying before me and the unbearable
knowledge that I had played a role in putting him there.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered again and again. “Please forgive me. I hope
you will forgive me.”
I don’t know how long I cried.
Time blurred, stretching and folding in on itself until eventually my
sobs slowed, exhaustion dulling the sharpest edges of my pain. When
I finally lifted my head, Reese was still standing there.
His eyes were red–rimmed now. But they still never left Roman.
I leaned down slowly and pressed my lips to Roman’s forehead.
Then his cheek.
His nose.
His closed eyes.
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My hands trembled as I gently pulled the oxygen mask down just
enough to kiss his lips.
“I’m so sorry, my love,” I whispered against his mouth. “I love you so
much. I’ll always love you.”
Tears spilled freely, dampening his lips as I kissed him again and
again and again and again, desperate to imprint myself onto him. To
remind him, wherever he was, that I was still here.
Carefully, I replaced the oxygen mask and laid his hand back on the
bed, lingering for a moment before straightening.
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