Blue Dahlia (The Dahlia Trilogy of The Gilded Flower Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

very big deal. And you’re with a man right now. Jesus Christ, D, what are you asking of me?” His voice getting louder.
    “Time,” she says, swallowing back her tears. She doesn’t want to cry anymore.
    “Then you’ve got it, D. Take whatever time you need,” Rodrigo says. “But if you don’t plan to come to Miami next week, I need to know now.”
    Dahlia takes a deep breath, choking back a sob. “I just can’t promise anything right now,” she murmurs.
    The sound of him crying breaks her heart. She never wanted to do this to him.
    “Is this it, Dahlia?” He asks, his voice echoing his pain.
    “No, I don’t want it to be. But I can’t be there for you the way you want me to be right now.” Not until the divorce is final. At least that part is true.
    After a long pause, Rodrigo says, “If you’re looking for an out, you’ve got it.”
    “But that’s not what I’m asking for.”
    “Are you sure? Consider my position. You went to California, something you neglected to mention you were going to do. You’re with a man you’ve also never told me about. Please don’t play me for a fool, D.”
    Dahlia sighs. “You’re no fool. I’m the foolish one, Rodrigo. I thought I was strong enough, but maybe I’m not. I’m so sorry.”
    “Yeah me too,” he says.
     

Chapter 20
    A knock on the door wakes Dahlia.
    Shane opens it, not waiting for a response. “D? Are you okay?”
    Dahlia stares up at the ceiling, willing herself not to look at him. In less than forty-eight hours her entire world has been turned upside down or made right again, depending on how she looked at it.
    “You’ve been in here for hours. Can we drive back to SB tomorrow?”
    Her eyes flash to the bedside clock. It’s after four in the afternoon. Dahlia rolls over, turning her back to him. Being around Shane has been exhausting. “Whatever,” she replies.
    He walks around the bed and crouches down in front of her. “Are you going to continue to wallow in here?”
    “Maybe.” She realizes she sounds like a petulant teenager, but it’s exactly how she feels right now. Her innocence was lost with her baby. She had never mourned the loss until now.
    “I can tell you it’s a fast road to the bottom, D.”
    She closes her eyes, trying to wish the hurt away.
    “Look at me, Dahlia.”
    But she doesn’t budge.
    “I said open your eyes,” he says in a firm voice.
    Her eyes flutter open. Shane gently caresses her cheek, and says, “The pain will kill you if you let it. You’ve run away from it too long.”
    “Maybe I deserve it. It’s my fault.”
    Shane shakes his head, his eyes gazing into hers. “No, it’s not. You can’t let yourself believe that.”
    “Easy for you to say,” she says. “I’m the one who carried her for almost nine months.”
    “Damn it, D. It’s not. I blamed myself for everything,” Shane’s voice gets louder. “For us failing, for the baby, for everything. Why do you think I went on that downward spiral? I couldn’t live with the pain of knowing I was such a selfish asshole.”
    Dahlia sits up and takes a deep breath. “You seem to be doing well now.”
    “Eventually, I had to face my mistakes. It isn’t easy. It fuckin’ sucks, actually, but I could either kill myself or do something with my life. Give myself over in some way.”
    Dahlia picks at a loose thread on the cream cover.
    “Get up,” he says, taking her hand and pulling her off the bed. “You need some exercise.”
     

Chapter 21
    Dahlia digs her toes into the wet sand and stares out at the waves. “I can’t believe I’m letting you talk me into this.” She glances down at Shane on his knees, waxing her board.
    He smiles up at her. “The offshore is good right now. Waves are cranking. You couldn’t ask for a better set up.”
    “But I haven’t . . .”
    “No worries. You’ll be fine. I’ll be out there with you.” Shane straps the leash to her ankle and stands.
    Dahlia grits her teeth as she duck-dives under a