by Ryan, Kaylee
Bliss
Entangled Hearts Duet #2
Kaylee Ryan
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue Cooper
Epilogue Reese
Thank you
More from Kaylee Ryan
Acknowledgments
Copyright © 2020 Kaylee Ryan
All Rights Reserved.
This book may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Kaylee Ryan, except for the use of brief quotations in articles and or reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events, locations, businesses and plot are products of the author’s imagination and meant to be used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events throughout the story are purely coincidental. The author acknowledges trademark owners and trademarked status of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication and use of these trademarks are not authorized, sponsored or associated by or with the trademark owners.
The following story contains sexual situations and strong language. It is intended for adult readers.
Cover Design: Sommer Stein, Perfect Pear Creative Covers
Cover Photography: Braadyn Penrod
Editing: Hot Tree Editing
Proofreading: Deaton Author Services
Formatting: Integrity Formatting
Chapter 1
Cooper
I can’t breathe. It physically hurts to pull oxygen into my lungs. There’s a tightness in my chest that I’m afraid will never go away. My hands tightly grip the chair in front of me as I watch Reese walk down the aisle. She’s beautiful, but there was never a doubt that she’d be a vision in a wedding dress. For a minute, I thought she might not go through with it. When our eyes met, and I mouthed to her that I loved her, I thought maybe, just maybe for a fleeting second that she was going to call it all off.
Instead, I watched as she, with her father at her side, put one foot in front of the other, passing me by to go to him. To Hunter. My body is frozen as I watch her. With each step she takes, it’s as if a dagger is piercing my heart.
I don’t want to watch this, but she asked me to be here. I will never again deny her anything. The one time I did has become my biggest regret in life. I had her, in my bed, in my arms, and I pushed her away. That’s a mistake that I have to learn to live with, and one I will damn sure never be making again. I should have told her sooner. Just something else to add to my growing list of regrets.
I can’t look away, no matter how badly I want to. I need to see her do this. I need to listen to her tell him that she vows to love him forever, so that maybe, just maybe, my heart will get the message that she’s not ours.
“Who gives this woman to marry this man?” the preacher asks once Reese and Garrett reach the altar.
“Don’t do it,” I whisper under my breath. Surely Garrett knows she’s meant to be mine. I watch as Garrett brings her hand to his lips and kisses it lightly. He then takes her hand and places it in Hunter’s.
Did you hear that? That loud crack is my heart as it breaks? Millions of shattered pieces that will never be the same, not without Reese.
“Her mother and I do,” Garrett says proudly. He steps away and takes his seat on the front row next to Eve.
My mother is sitting next to Eve, and my father next to her. There’s an empty seat next to my father. It’s the seat I was supposed to sit in. I just… couldn’t. I’m having a hard enough time sitting in the back row. I would be too tempted to drop to my knees in front of her and beg her not to go through with it. Who am I kidding? The temptation is still there.
I texted my parents to let them know I was here but sitting in the back. Mom tried to convince me to come sit with them, but I just can’t. I know they know that this day is hard for me, but they have no idea the depths of the agony I’m in. They don’t know that she’s my heart, and my best friend. They don’t know that her father isn’t the only one giving her away. I’m losing her, and the pain of that steals my breath from my lungs.
“Dearly beloved,” the preacher begins.
Closing my eyes, I say a silent prayer that when I open them, this will have been a nightmare. That I won’t be sitting in the back row of this banquet hall, and the love of my life won’t be about to pledge her love for someone else.
Slowly, I open my eyes.
I’m still here.
She’s still there.
With a man who’s not me.
"If anyone can show just cause why this couple cannot lawfully be joined together in matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.” The question echoes throughout the quiet room.
My nails dig into the back of the chair in front of me. I need to say something. I can’t let her do this. I need to stand up and shout out that she’s making a mistake. No one can love her like I can. My grip is so tight on the chair, my knuckles are white, and I’m losing feeling in my hands. I bite down on my bottom lip to keep from yelling out, or hell, maybe it’s to keep my tears at bay. I can feel them brewing as the heat builds behind my eyes.
Steadying my weight on my hands, I push up from my chair at the same time Reese looks out into the crowd. She searches until her eyes lock on mine, causing my heart to stall in my chest. I open my mouth to speak but quickly close it. Instead, I watch as she removes her hands from Hunter’s and takes a small step back. Her hand shoots out behind her, and Tessa hands her something.
I need to do it now, before she goes any further. My mouth is dry, almost as if it’s been stuffed with cotton. I swallow a few times and lick my lips. Here goes nothing. I open my mouth to speak, but her words stop me.
“Hunter. I’m sorry. I- I can’t do this,” she says as her voice cracks.
There’s a collective gasp throughout the room. Low murmurs of surprise ring out while I still stand frozen in the back row, on the left side. The bride’s side. I don’t take my eyes off her as I will her to look at me. She’s up there doing this all on her own, and I want to be with her. I want to stand beside her, my head held tall as she makes this announcement.
I want to do all of that, but my feet won’t move. It’s as if they’re glued to the floor, and all I can do is stand and watch this play out. Hunter reaches for her, but she takes another step back and shakes her head. I can see the tremble in her hands as she removes her engagement ring from her left hand and places it in his.
Her mouth is moving, but I can’t hear what she’s saying. She drops her hands to her sides and looks over her shoulder at Tessa. I see it all in slow motion as she turns on her heel and rushes to the side of the room, disappearing behind the door. I watch her go, with Tessa hurrying along behind her.
The door slams closed behind Tessa, and suddenly the crowd grows louder. All I can do is stare at the door. I wanted this to happen, but she’s hurting, and I hate that. I need to go to her. I need to hold her in my arms and tell her that everything is going to be okay. I need to show her how much I l
ove her and support her through this.
Shaking out of my fog, I slowly release my grip on the chair in front of me and flex my hands, helping to circulate the blood flow. I move to take a step, but a firm hand presses on my shoulder. Turning to look, I see Nixon standing there.
“Come with me,” he says, keeping his voice low.
“I can’t. I have to go to her.” I shake my head.
“She’s with Tess, and your best bet of finding out where that is, is through me. Let’s go.” With his hand on my arm, he pulls me behind him. We rush through the double doors and down the hall that leads outside.
“Where are we going? I’m not leaving. I have to go to her. Damn it, Nix, Let go!” I yell into the parking lot.
“They left, Cooper. She’s not here. Now shut the hell up and get in the car.”
“What do you mean they left? How could she have just left that soon? Where did they go?” I fire off a multitude of questions.
“Get in the fucking car, Cooper,” he says through gritted teeth as the door we just escaped through opens.
“Cooper!” Garrett calls out.
I give Nixon a pleading look, and he mutters, “Fuck,” under his breath. I turn to look at Garrett.
“Where is she?” he calls out as he approaches.
“We’re going to her now.” That’s really all I’ve got.
He nods. His eyes darting between Nixon and me. I know I should say something like I’ve got this, and I’ll take care of her, but the truth is, I’m not sure where they are, and I have no idea what I’m up against. I wanted her to call it off, but this… her running out, that’s not Reese. My chest is heavy from guilt, but there is also a sense of relief that washes over me. Both emotions pulling in equal measures.
I want her to be mine.
“Take care of her, Cooper.” Garrett gives me a hard look that’s also a little pleading.
I look him square in the eyes. “Always,” I say with conviction and promise. There will never be a moment in my life that I won’t put her first. Never.
“Cooper. We need to go,” Nixon says.
I give Garrett a firm nod and climb in the car. “Where are they?” I ask Nixon as he speeds out of the parking lot.
“I’m not sure.”
“What the fuck do you mean you’re not sure? Stop the car. I can’t leave her here.”
“She’s not there, Cooper.” He tosses me his phone and rattles off the password. “Pull up the last message from Tess.”
Doing as he says, I pull up the text messages on his phone.
Tess: We’re leaving. She’s really upset and not saying much. I don’t know where we’re headed, but I do know we won’t be going back to the banquet hall.
Nixon: I’ll get Cooper. You tell me when and where.
“So, what?” I say, frustrated and tossing his phone in the cupholder. “We’re just going to drive around until we know where they are?”
“You have a better plan? Would you rather be back there dealing with the aftermath? The way that you were looking at her….” He shakes his head.
“What?” I ask, the irritation evident in my voice. “Say it.” I need to hear it.
“The fucking agony was written all over your face, Reeves. Not one person there could question whether or not her marrying Hunter was tearing you up inside.”
“I told her I would never hide how I felt about her again. That included showing that my fucking heart was obliterated that she was marrying someone who wasn’t me.”
“What are you saying, Reeves? That you want to marry her.”
“Yes.” I don’t even hesitate with my response.
He pulls up to a Stop sign and turns to look at me. “You’re serious.” It’s not a question as much as a statement of observation.
“Yes.”
He nods. “All right. I’ll do what I can to help you. Tess too. She’s been insistent for years that the two of you should be together.”
“Is that where you got it?” I ask him.
“Nah, I could see it too. In fact, I think everyone around the two of you could see it. I think even Hunter knew. Deep down, he had to know,” he says.
“I feel bad for the guy, getting left at the altar sucks, but I’m fucking thrilled she did it. That makes me a dick, right? That I’m happy she didn’t go through with it?”
“Nah, makes you human. Although you should have told her a hell of a lot sooner than the day before her wedding.”
“I was struggling.” I know he’s right. I should have told her sooner. The day I got that fucking wedding invitation, I should have told her. Instead, I stayed holed up in my condo and got wasted. Not my finest moment, but my heart was breaking. I’d lost her. I hate that it took me going off to Indy without her for me to see the perfect woman for me had been right in front of me for years. It took me being without her to realize she can still be my best friend and the love of my life.
“Stubborn,” he mutters under his breath.
Maybe he’s right. I don’t really know. What I do know is that I’m going to do everything in my power to show her what she means to me. No more pushing her away or wishing things were different. I’m going to show her every fucking day.
Nixon’s phone rings, and he snatches it up before I can get it. “Hello.” He listens. “Yeah, I’ve got Cooper with me.” Another pause. “Okay. We’re on our way.” He hangs up and places the phone back in the cupholder and continues to drive.
“Where are they?”
“The hotel that Tess and I are staying at.”
“Whose car are they in?”
He looks over at me and grins. “A rental.”
“Isn’t this a rental?” I ask of the sedan we’re in.
“Yep,” he says, popping the p.
“Why did you and Tessa have two rentals?”
“We didn’t until this morning.”
“Care to enlighten me?”
He chuckles. “The one we rented this morning is the getaway car.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, confused.
“Tess had a feeling that Reese was struggling and didn’t really want to go through with the wedding. She insisted we have a car parked out back, and she had the keys. That’s what Reese took from her when they were standing up there. Tessa told her about the keys and that she had them in her hands. All Reese had to do was ask.”
“Thank you.” Those two words don’t seem like enough, but right now, that’s all I’ve got. I wish I would have thought of it, but it’s better it was Tessa.
The rest of the ride to the hotel is silent. I’m lost in thought. I don’t know what I’m going to say to her when I see her. Hell, I don’t even know if she’s willing to see me. That’s not going to stop me from trying.
Nixon pulls up to the valet, and we climb out of the car. Hands in my pockets, I follow him like a lost puppy through the lobby and to the elevators. I don’t say a word on the ride up, or when the doors open and he steps off. We finally stop outside a room, and he knocks softly. My breathing halts as I wait for them to answer. What feels like hours later, when it’s merely seconds, Tessa opens the door and gives us a sad smile.
“H-How is she?” I ask, my voice gravelly.
“As good as can be expected after running out of her own wedding.”
I wince. “Can I see her?”
“Depends. Tell me you’re in this for the long haul, Cooper.”
“Eternity.”
She nods and hands me a card. “I got you a room too. I wasn’t sure where you were staying, and well, I’m not sure how this is going to go over. I was hoping that would be your answer, and you would want to be close to her. Your room is there.” She points across the hall. “We’re a few floors up. Call us if you need anything.”
“Thanks, Tessa.” Pulling my hands from my pockets, I take the offered card with a mental note to repay them and wrap my arms around her in a hug.
“Hands off my wife, Reeves,” Nixon says. His voice is calm and holds no h
eat.
“She’s not your wife yet,” I fire back.
“Close enough. Go get yours,” he says, drawing Tessa into his arms. I watch as he kisses the top of her head, and together, arms wrapped around one another, they head down the hall.
Slowly, I push open the door and walk in, making sure to lock it behind me. With each step I take into the room, my heart seems to pound a little faster. By the time I can see her, I feel as though it might pound right out of my chest.
“Reese,” I say, my voice gruff like sandpaper.
She looks up at me with tears staining her cheeks, and red, watery eyes. I don’t give her a chance to speak or to even act before I’m rushing to her, dropping to my knees and cradling her face in the palm of my hands.
“I’m so sorry, baby,” I whisper as my thumbs swipe across her cheeks, drying her tears. I hate to see her like this. I hate it’s because of me. I should have told her sooner. This is my fault, and I’ll do anything to make it up to her.
“I don’t know what’s happening, Cooper.”
“We’ll figure it out together,” I tell her.
“Will we?” She pushes my hands away and stands as she begins to pace the room. “I can’t believe you dropped all this on me the day before my wedding. Do you know how incredibly selfish that is? That you don’t want me, but you don’t want him to have me, so you make up this bullshit story about being in love with me? Who does that?”
“It’s not bullshit, Reese.” I stand, and again have to shove my hands in my pockets to keep from reaching for her.
