Max and Isabelle are having their wedding ceremony at the Woodvale Botanical Gardens, and then moving to an old cannery-turned-event space for the reception. I arrive at the botanical gardens early, making sure the chairs and aisle are set up properly, checking that the photographer and videographer are happy, and that everything is in place for the ceremony.
My hands shake as I adjust a chair. Sacha must be in Woodvale by now. He told me his flight arrived early this morning. Every second that ticks by feels like an eternity.
Reaching into my purse, I pull out a sour lollipop and stick it in my mouth. Satisfied that everything is under control at the gardens, I make my way to the reception venue.
When I park the car outside, my heart skips a beat.
A familiar figure is leaning against the brick wall outside, staring at the ground at his feet. Sacha’s hands are stuffed into his pockets, and his brow is creased.
He looks exhausted.
My heart starts to thump. Even through the layers of exhaustion that cover him, he’s breathtakingly handsome. He makes my pulse quicken and my body start to burn.
I’m in love with the man. I can’t deny it. I’m sick of running from it.
Still, my heart is guarded.
Fearful. Fragile.
I can’t help it. It’s how I’ve wired myself for the past decade. It’s how I’ve approached every situation where I might get hurt. Opening myself up to Sacha means breaking down every single wall I’ve worked so hard to build.
With a deep breath, I know I have to do it. I need to take down my defenses and show Sacha what he means to me.
When I close my car door and lock it, Sacha lifts his head. Instinctively, his face breaks into a smile, and my heart stutters. My soul cries out for his love. My body begs for his touch.
Walking softly toward him, I swallow through a tightening throat and nod. “Sacha.”
“Willow.” He says my name as if it’s the first breath of fresh air he’s taken in days. A few lines on his face soften, but he holds himself back from reaching out for me.
I gulp past a lump in my throat. Gathering my courage, I lift my eyes to his. “My brother told me about what you did. About the scholarship.” I take another step toward him, my heart racing in my chest. It’s hard to get the words out and when I speak, my voice is just a breathy rasp. “Sacha, why didn’t you tell me?”
The skin around Sacha’s eyes tightens.
The pain in Sacha’s face is almost unbearable to witness. A knife twists in my heart, and a wave of guilt crashes into me.
He didn’t leave to protect himself. He left to protect me.
I watch him swallow thickly, roughing his hand through his hair. He takes a deep breath, dragging his gaze to mine. “I didn’t want you to think I was bargaining with you. I had just dropped this huge bomb about your parents, and I could see your grief. It was bright, and hot, and I had no right to defend myself in that moment. I thought you’d feel like it was a slap in the face, like everything you worked for was based on a lie.”
I want to laugh. Cry. Pummel his chest with my fists. Kiss him. Tear my hair out. Wrap my arms around him and never let go.
He didn’t tell me because he wanted to protect me from my own ego.
Stupid, beautiful man.
“Sacha,” I whisper. “You idiot.”
Sacha laughs, but it turns into an ugly snort. His eyes mist, and he shakes his head. “When I came back for the bachelor party, you looked like you had your shit together. I didn’t want to take that away from you. I felt like a coward for leaving, and talking about the scholarship just seemed…pathetic.”
“That scholarship changed my life,” I say, taking another step toward him.
The air between us is charged. Electric. Heavy.
Sacha takes a deep breath. “Is that why you came to find me at the hotel?”
I swallow thickly, shaking my head. “I forgave you long before I knew the truth about the scholarship, Sacha.”
His eyes widen, and he takes a step toward me. “You mean you didn’t know why I left when you went to the hotel?”
I shake my head.
“And you still forgave me?”
I nod. “I can’t resist you, Sacha. Even if you had no reason at all for leaving, I still would have come back to you. Maybe that makes me the stupidest woman in the world, but it’s true.”
Hope flares in Sacha’s eyes when I reach my hand toward him. As soon as my palm touches his chest, the storm between us breaks. The air crackles, and my walls fall down.
I’m his. Always have been. Always will be.
He’s my silent protector. The man who sacrificed his life in Woodvale to give me mine. He endured hell, walked away, and asked for nothing in return.
He’s the opposite of a coward. Sacha Black is the bravest, most noble, incredible human being I’ve ever met. He’s strong. Loving. Sexy. Beautiful.
And he’s all mine.
Sacha’s heart thumps under my palm, and a smile tugs at my lips. His gray eyes pierce through me, swirling with so many emotions I can’t read them all. His hand drifts over my cheek, and a shiver of warmth passes through my body.
I’ve missed his touch. More than missed it. I’ve felt like I’ve starved without it. I’ve been withering on my own without the life-giving energy of his presence.
“I wish you’d told me sooner,” I breathe, closing my eyes as I lean into his hand. “It would have saved me lots of heartache.”
“I thought you hated me. I didn’t think it would change anything.”
“How could I ever hate you, Sacha?” I laugh, lifting my eyes up to meet his. “Even when I tried my hardest to move on from loving you, I never could. Ten years apart, and I was still yours. Give me a hundred years, and I’d be no one else’s.”
“I love you, Willow,” he says, cupping my cheek. “I meant it when I said it, and I mean it now. I’ve loved you for decades, and I’ll never stop loving you.”
“Say it again.” I sigh, closing my eyes.
“Willow Wise, I’m in love with you.”
Then, Sacha crushes his lips to mine, and my world is complete. I wrap my arms around his neck and melt into his embrace, tasting his kiss deep down to my toes. His hands drift down my back, caging me against his body. His hands are strong, and warm, and they hold me tight. Electricity jumps across my skin, trailing goose bumps wherever he touches.
This is more than just a kiss. It’s a promise. An oath.
I promise I’ll never doubt him again. When my lips part and I inhale his scent, I swear I’ll be by his side from now until forever.
“I love you,” I say between kisses, hooking my arms around his neck and pulling him closer. “So much.”
Happiness bubbles up inside me until I feel like I’m going to explode. My heart feels too big for my chest. My whole body is on fire.
And Sacha is here. Beside me.
All mine.
I forget that I’m in my brother’s wedding reception venue until I hear Max’s voice behind me.
“Get a room,” he shouts from the parking lot as Sacha and I pull apart. I turn to see my brother pulling a disgusted face at us, pretending to vomit.
“Grow up, Max,” I shoot back, nuzzling my head into Sacha’s chest. I laugh, tilting my face up for Sacha to kiss my lips once more.
Max moves closer and makes more retching noises. Sacha and I stop kissing, laughing.
“I see the two of you have made up,” my brother says, arching an eyebrow. “Is this what I have to get used to forever now? On-again, off-again? Drama?”
Sacha hooks his arm around my shoulder and shakes his head. “No. It’s on, always.” His eyes drift to me. “Forever.”
“Well, forever better get a move on, because my wedding is in less than two hours and neither of you is dressed. Isabelle would freak out if she saw you.”
I glance down at my black jeans and matching T-shirt, grinning. “No need to freak out. We’ll be ready.”
&nbs
p; My brother grins, shaking his head, and then spreads his arms wide. “Come on, lovebirds. It’s my wedding day. Give me a hug and then have a drink with me. We’re celebrating love today.”
Sacha smiles, winking at me before wrapping Max and me in a bone-crushing hug. I laugh, my face in their chests as I fight to keep the happiness contained inside me.
Because the heart that’s beating in my chest? The one that feels like it’s going to break out of its cage and run away from me?
That heart beats for Sacha Black.
Epilogue
Willow
I wasn’t prepared for the shockwaves that came from Sacha’s decision to dissolve his father’s business. After a magical day at Max’s wedding, and an even more magical Sunday holed up in my bedroom with Sacha, reality came crashing back down.
The next few weeks were full of news broadcasts about the Blacks, thousands of pages of court documents, dozens of requests for interviews, and even one anonymous death threat.
Lots of Alastair’s old clients were unhappy that the business wasn’t going to be generating money for them. Other clients were shocked at the news that Alastair had been skimming money from their investments. We never figured out exactly who knew about the fraud, and who had been unsuspecting victims of Alastair’s crimes.
Many people weren’t surprised at all. It made me sick to think that so many people either knew or suspected what Alastair Black had been up to, but no one came forward.
So many people must have known that my parents were wrongfully fired, and no one defended them.
No one, except Sacha.
Sacha was brave and stoic through it all. He never faltered, and my love for him only grew. I realized he was doing this for me, even after he’d left Woodvale for my sake to begin with.
After Max’s wedding, it was the start of a long and laborious process of returning investments and assets to their owners and repaying the IRS in taxes that had been avoided. Sacha and his mother were protected from personal liability by the corporate tax structure of the Black business, and they were seen as cooperative in the eyes of the IRS.
By being the face of the end of the Black Investment Brokerage, and standing up to dismantle his father’s legacy, Sacha was showing me he cared more about me than he did about the money, the name, the power.
He exposed everything his father did, and at every chance he got, he said beautiful things about my parents. The amount of love Sacha had to give, even in the darkest days of the court proceedings, was almost overwhelming.
Never again did I feel like he didn’t care about me. We faced everything together, as one. I stood by his side while some of the richest people in Woodvale sneered at him and others applauded him. It felt good to be there with him, giving back a little bit of what he’d given me all those years ago. Slowly, over the months that followed, we built a future together.
Always together.
Through all the media attention and controversy, the hours spent in meeting rooms and the millions of dollars handed over to the IRS, Sacha stayed close to me and reminded me every day how much he loved me.
Our past—which had been such a source of pain and heartache and tangled memories—became a source of joy. We were able to remember all the good times we had growing up. All the joy my parents had brought to us both. All the moments that had brought Sacha and me closer together.
It was the tangled web of memories that made our bond so strong. The very reason we were inseparable was because we’d been through so much together. The mess of dissolving his father’s business only brought us closer.
Once the dust settled, Sacha’s family was left with only a fraction of the wealth they had accumulated. Sacha fought to keep the house for his mother to live in. The costs of upkeep on such a massive property were almost too much to bear, until I had an idea that perfectly embodied why Sacha and I were made for each other.
We turned the Black Estate into a luxurious event venue. Sacha left his job in New York and started a catering company, based in the expansive kitchen of his childhood estate. He’d cook for the weddings I planned, hosted in the estate where he grew up.
We filled the big house with laughter, love, and happy memories shared by hundreds of newlywed couples and their families. They replaced the sad, oppressive memories that had soaked into the walls. Together, we gave the estate new life.
It was almost like painting over the walls with a new color. We cleaned out all the cobwebs in the mansion and exorcised all the old ghosts that crept in its corners. Instead, we welcomed in light and love, ushering it in with open arms.
Even Mrs. Black seemed rejuvenated. It took almost a year, but she slowly peeled away the layers of pain and started laughing more, hugging Sacha often, and welcoming me into her home with open arms.
One day, a year after Sacha had dissolved his father’s business, the love of my life took my hand and walked me to the edge of the Black Estate. We stood on the cliffs, watching as a thunderstorm gathered on the horizon.
I smiled, thinking of my father, leaning my head against Sacha’s shoulder. He wrapped his strong arm around me as we watched the lightning hit the stormy ocean, and I knew the storms in my life had passed. Ahead, there were only clear skies and a hopeful future.
As the thunderstorm crashed in the distance, Sacha dropped to one knee and pulled out a small velvet box. He flipped it open to reveal a delicate wedding band with a glittering diamond perched on top of it.
“Willow,” he rasped, emotion thickening his voice. “You’ve made this place a home for me again. You make me brave. You give me a reason to be. Make me the happiest man in the world and say you’ll marry me.”
Tears clouded my eyes, and I became every stereotype at which I used to scoff. I put my hands to my lips and nodded, squeezing a ‘yes’ past the lump in my throat.
Sacha slipped the ring over my finger and wrapped his arms around me, twirling me in a circle. Waves crashed on the cliffs below, and lightning hit the ocean in the distance. He put me down on my feet and kissed me like nothing else in the world mattered.
And nothing else did.
Our love connected us through the decade we spent apart. Through the heartache and pain that tried to separate us. Through all the tangled threads that threatened to choke us.
Our love was strong, true, and everlasting.
Always.
* * *
Keep reading for a preview of Hate at First Sight
* * *
Don’t forget to grab your FREE bonus extended epilogue by signing up to my reader list:
Click here to get your bonus chapters.
If you’re already signed up, you can follow the link in your welcome email to access the bonus content from all my books.
xox Lilian
Hate at First Sight
Lilian Monroe
1
Nicole
I hang up the phone and breathe a sigh of relief. Clutching my phone to my chest, I turn to my sister and nod.
“I got the job.”
“Woohoo!” Jenna jumps up and down. The soapy spatula she was washing drips over the kitchen floor, but she ignores it. “Congratulations! I was sure you’d get it.”
“I wasn’t.” I push the hair off my forehead and blow the air out of my lungs. I slump down at the kitchen table. “Thank God. I’ll have enough to pay rent for February.”
Jenna slides her arm across my shoulders and hugs me. I wince as pain shoots through my right side, but I try to hide it.
“I’m happy for you, Nicole.” Her eyes crinkle as she smiles. “That’ll take some pressure off.”
“Yeah, now I can replace financial stress with work stress.”
“Don’t be so pessimistic,” she laughs. “Come on. Things are looking up!”
I nod and try to smile. “Yeah, they are.” At least I won’t have to worry about the debt collectors coming to knock down my door. I’ll be able to start making payments on these medical bills—maybe even more tha
n the minimum payment. Paralegal salaries aren’t amazing, but they’re better than the zero I’ve been making so far.
“Did she tell you what the salary will be?” Jenna asks, reading my mind. She returns the spatula to the sink and keeps washing.
I nod. “Fifty-two grand a year to start, plus benefits.”
Jenna smiles. “I knew this would work out. I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. I’m going to make some tea. You want some?”
“Sure.” I force a smile. She must be further ahead of me in this tunnel, because I still don’t see any light. I shift in my seat, taking a deep breath as pain shoots through my side. I stand up and take a few steps to try to loosen it up.
“Still sore?” Jenna frowns at me as she fills the kettle.
“Yeah. I ran out of pain medication last week. Once I get paid at this job, I’ll get some more, but these next few weeks will be a little rough.”
“I’ll cover the next batch of medication, Nic. I hate seeing you like this.”
I shake my head. “You were just telling me about all the expenses with the kids. I’m not going to be your third child,” I grin. “I’ll be fine. It’s not that bad.”
Jenna nods as I walk back and forth to try to ease the aches pulsing through the side of my body. Ever since the accident last year, my whole body has rebelled against me. My sister watches me and shakes her head.
“If I ever find the coward that did this to you, I will kill him myself,” she says. “He didn’t even stop to see if you guys were okay! Who knows what would have happened if the ambulance had gotten there sooner? Jack might have lived! And don’t get me started on the insurance company.”
A plate clatters in the sink as Jenna shakes her head.
Grief carves out another piece of my heart as I take a deep breath. Jenna’s still angry—maybe I would be, too, if this had happened to her. But it happened to me, and mostly I just feel exhausted.
Shouldn’t Want You: A Brother’s Best Friend Romance Page 18
