Dare to Love by Lylah James

Maddox

I fucked up.

I knew I’d eventually mess up. I knew I’d end up destroying the one good thing in my entire life. Lila.

Because that was the only thing I was capable of.

Destroying lives.

Ruining her.

Wrecking us.

I tried to protect her, since the day I made that stupid goddamn pinky swear. I made sure she was always happy, always taken care of, by eliminating anything that would cause her pain...but I forgot to protect her from myself.

My lungs seized in my chest, and my throat closed. A choked sound came from my throat, as I held my head in my hands, feeling the burn in the back of my eyes.

“You’re the best unplanned thing that has ever happened to me, Maddox. Ever. And I can’t lose you. But you’re doing everything to push… me away from you,” she whispered, her sweet voice breaking at the end. “You’ve been telling lies, keeping secrets from me. Since when have you started lying to me, Maddox?”

My head snapped up at her words, but I didn’t have an answer. I fucking wished I did.

Lies, no matter how big or small, were the quickest way to ruin something beautiful – us.

Lies and secrets…

Everything I’d ever done, every decision I ever made, was to protect Lila.

But no band-aids would ever be enough to stop the open, festering wounds I’d left behind.

“I’m sorry,” I choked.

The torment on her face decimated me. “Is that all you have to say?”

My vision blurred – fuck – I had to remind myself not to lose my shit. My emotions were in turmoil, and I fought to keep myself sane. “I’m sorry.”

A lone tear slid down her cheek. “They said you were trouble. I didn't listen. I took a chance on you. And now I regret it.”

“Don’t leave me.” My hoarse voice cracked. “Please.”

Lila took a step back. My wounded heart lurched, and bile crawled up the back of my throat, bitter and acidic, at the thought of losing her.

“Lila,” I breathed her name. “Please.”

She slowly shook her head, another silent tear, leaving a wet trail on her cheek. “Maddox.” She looked pained, and her lips wobbled. “You broke your promises.”

And now she was breaking hers.

Her feet took her another step back.

“No,” I pleaded. “Lila, no.”

My voice caught in my throat, as she turned and walked away, taking my bleeding heart in the palm of her hand and leaving me… lifeless.

I sank to my knees, unable to stop myself, choking on the heavy taste of bitterness on my tongue. This couldn’t be the end… it couldn’t.

The door closed, even as I called out her name. Pathetically. Because for her… I was a fucking weak man.

For her.

For only her. My Lila.

Love makes you weak.

Love destroys lives.

Love ruined us.

She left. The one thing she promised not to do… She vowed to never leave me, to never leave my side… but there she was. Walking away.

My Lila left, as the pain piercing through my chest became more than unbearable.

All my truths, all my lies collided together – my future with Lila was now cracked open, shattered and bleeding, as I knelt in the wreckage of it all.

Once again…alone.

Once again… lost.

She lied, too.

She broke her promises, too.

You won’t lose me, ever.

Pinky promise?

Pinky promise.

All the promises we made to each other, in the end… none of it mattered.

In the end, we lost our way, and our happy ending faded away.