Torn Read Online Free PDF Page A

fighting some then you aren’t communicating.”
    She looked up from her plate with misty eyes.
“Brody—”
    “Wait, I’m not done. I know you still love
me. I felt it the other day when I kissed you, but I also know you
care for him. I’m not naïve. I don’t have some bullshit fantasy
about you falling into my arms and saying you don’t love him and
that you want to be with me. This is a hard decision for you, I get
that, but I need you to make that decision, Leila.” I stood up and
knelt in front of her. “I want you to choose me. Let me take care
of you and our little girl. Let me give you everything you’ve ever
dreamed of having.”
    For a minute the dining room was terrifyingly
quiet.
    “I’m not gonna lie, yeah, some part of me
still loves you and that will probably never change. I know you
would give us the world, but I’m in love with Jaxon.” Hanging my
head in defeat, I slowly rose and sat back down in my chair. “Wait,
don’t do that. Please let me finish, Brody.”
    Staring straight ahead, not making eye
contact, I slumped back in the chair. “Go ahead.”
    “I didn’t set out to fall in love with him,
it just happened…over time. Seeing him yesterday just made me
realize that I can’t live without him. And I am so sorry this hurts
you. I never wanted to hurt you, Brody, but I have to be honest
with you and myself. I can’t keep living here in our little pretend
world as if Jaxon doesn’t exist and that I’m not in love with him.
I care about you and I do love you, but the way I love you has
changed. You will always be a part of my life. You’re the father of
my child.” Tears slipped down her face as she tore my beating heart
from my chest.
    This can’t be
happening.
    “I wish I could tell you I’m happy for you
and that I wish you happiness with him, but I’d be lying. Maybe
eventually I can get there, but not right now.” I stood and moved
away from the table. “I’m sorry, I just can’t be here right now.” I
exited the house through the doorway to the veranda. I had to get
away from her. I needed to get away period. Escaping to the barn, I
had hoped to miss Jane and go for a ride to clear my mind, but
today the universe decided to fuck with me. Opening the tack room
door, I practically walked right into her.
    Just. Fucking. Great.
    “Brody, I didn’t expect to see you down here.
What are you doing, dear?” She stepped back, allowing my
entrance.
    “Yeah well, I didn’t expect to be here
either, but here I am. I was going to go for a ride.” I was short
and growled, but this way she wouldn’t ask any questions. “But I
just remembered I have to take Leila to the hospital. Can you
please let her know I’ll be there in just a minute?”
    “Of course, and I’m here whenever you want to
talk about it.”
    Nodding, I exited the way I came in and
walked into the stables. The smell of the horses mixed with the
aroma of hay and sweet feed took me to another place and time. A
time when my mother would drag me down here to learn some
responsibility. She would tell me that taking care of a horse would
teach me some patience and compassion. Apparently, even as a
teenager I was demanding and callous. As usual, she was right;
being around the horses and the barn calmed me, brought me
peace.
    *****
    Leila
    Watching him walk away, hurting and
devastated, just about killed me. I could literally feel the pain
coming off him in shockwaves. With each step he took, the divide in
my chest tore a little more. When the door to the veranda slammed
shut, my steel resolve shattered. I sat there staring at the
half-eaten plate of waffles, and my cheeks tingled with anguish.
Catching sight of the massive diamond engagement ring that sat on
my hand didn’t help the remorse.
    The guilt I was swimming in threatened to
swallow me whole. Sitting there at the table, I turned to look at
the empty chair he’d sat in moments before when he laid his heart
at my feet and I kicked dirt on it, picked