BLAKE
I sighed, pulling Annabelle closer to me and listening to her steady breathing. A smile grew on my face as I watched her, her expression blissful as she dreamed. I wondered if she was thinking of me.
Today had been incredible. It had been so easy to forget my fears, but now in the silence, they came creeping back, amplified in the dark. I closed my eyes, hoping for a peaceful sleep.
***
~âBlake, I canât stay with you. I have a life and a family that loves me. Besides, this wasnât real. It was just for the story,â Annabelleâs voice echoed in my mind, her words filled with pity as she turned away from me.~
~âAnnabelleâ¦please,â I pleaded, my heart shattering as I watched her walk away and into the arms of another man.~
~Her face lit up as he embraced her. She turned back toward me.~
~âHow could I ever love someone like you?â she asked, her eyes darkening. âYou let the company down. You let your family down. Itâs all your fault, Blake Stone. You deserve to be alone. I wonât let you ruin the life Iâve worked so hard to build. Go be someone elseâs burden.â~
~I watched as she disappeared into the distance, laughing in his arms. My heart felt like it was turning to ash. Tears streamed down my face.~
***
I woke up with a start, my heart pounding in my chest. I looked at Annabelle, still sleeping peacefully in my arms, and felt a wave of relief wash over me.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing pulse. It had just been a nightmare, but I couldnât shake the feeling that it could easily become my reality.
Suddenly, the weight of the situation hit me. This could be the last day I held Annabelle in my arms. These could be our last few moments together.
The thought was heartbreaking, but I knew I had to let her go. I was a mess, still wrapped in the disgrace of having let everyone down. What if I was a disappointment to her too? What if I dragged her into my guilt-ridden spiral?
She deserved someone better. I traced my fingers over her cheek, trying to memorize every detail of her face. How was I going to say goodbye to her?
I leaned down and gently kissed her forehead, lingering a moment longer than necessary.
âBlake,â she mumbled in her sleep.
I quickly pulled back, relieved to see her eyes still closed as she snuggled closer to me.
~Thank god~, I thought. ~Sheâs still asleep~.
I didnât want to make things harder for her before she left by letting her know how I really felt.
âReality hits hard at night, doesnât it?â Killianâs groggy voice whispered, breaking the soft silence.
âI didnât know you were awake,â I admitted quietly, hoping not to wake Annabelle. âYeah. It does. I donât know how Iâm going to say goodbye when all I want is to keep her here with me.â
âWhy donât you tell her that?â Killian asked.
âBecause it would be selfish. Iâm a disaster, Killian. Iâm afraid to go back to society because I donât want anyone to recognize me and hate me because I let them down. I donât want to drag her into my mess,â I said, my fingers absentmindedly caressing her face. âShe deserves better than that.â
âLove is selfish, Blake. Have you thought about asking her how she feels? Iâm sure you might be surprised. Sheâd probably try and help you figure it out. Sheâs not afraid of a challenge,â Killian replied.
Annabelle shifted in her sleep.
âGo back to sleep, Annabelle,â I said softly, rubbing her back.
She relaxed against me, a small smile on her face.
âWe should go back to sleep before we really wake her up,â I said.
âJust donât let your fears get in the way of a good thing, Blake,â Killian advised, yawning tiredly. âTry to get some sleep. We can talk more in the morning.â
âBut it is morning,â I pointed out.
âThe real morning,â he grumbled, his voice growing more irritated. âSome of us donât wake up looking fabulous and need our beauty sleep. Good night, Blake,â Killian said.
âGood night, Killian,â I echoed.
I stared at the ceiling, trying to quiet my thoughts. Talking to Killian had helped for a moment, but now all my doubts and fears returned. I fought the urge to groan in frustration, holding Annabelle a little tighter instead.
I wanted to be selfish. I wanted her to stay with me, even though part of me still wondered if any of this had been real for her. It had been real for me.
I let out a heavy sigh. It was shaping up to be a long, restless night.
~What a terrible way to start what promises to be a very difficult day.~