Two weeks had passed since our wedding reception. Nothing had improved. Bella’s family continued giving me the cold shoulder over the gifts I’d arranged. I’d continued sleeping in the guest room or arranged separate hotel rooms when we traveled. For anything related to my campaign and work, Bella glittered like an angel. Everyone loved her, and she certainly fulfilled the letter of our contract. I had nothing to complain about.

If only I could rid myself of the nagging feelings I had for her. Guilt oppressed me to the point that there were a lot of things I kept putting off. I didn’t want to have campaign rallies, not with Bella smiling that fake, contract-wife smile while standing next to me. I’d wanted her by my side, strong and happy. Becoming a Representative wasn’t even something I did for myself, but for my father. If Bella wasn’t in my corner for support, I felt like the entire thing was worthless.

I was supposed to meet the other candidates for a town-hall type meeting in the city tomorrow, so we’d returned to our apartment after a couple nights spent traveling through some smaller towns in the northern part of the state. Now that we were home, Bella was in her room alone, doing whatever she did when she had to be in the same place as me.

I’d had enough. She thought there was nothing between us, but that was so wrong. Maybe if I just came clean, told her the truth, explained how I’d spent so much time searching for her, only to find her in the oddest way... We had to be destined for each other, right? No matter how coldly she acted, or how tough I tried to tell myself I was and that I didn’t need her, I couldn’t help myself from wanting her.

Not the crazy way she wanted it to be. Not hurting each other and feeling nothing except pain-mixed pleasure. I wanted to love her. The more I saw the way she interacted with people, the more I thought about the warmth from her family that first night, the more in love I fell. She was wrong about me. I was completely head over heels for her. This went beyond the guilt of my past. I loved the person she was now—the sweet laugh she had, her warm eyes, the way her small hand fit perfectly into my larger one. I loved her.

The only way I could ever have her would be to come clean, tell her the truth, and then work through the pain that would cause. I really wouldn’t blame her if she never forgave me, but I had to at least try. Besides, I had the gang members breathing down my neck, making more ridiculous demands each day. They wanted money and more. Rather than hiding these problems from her and keeping even more secrets, I needed to confide in her and hope for the best.

Tapping on the door to the master bedroom, I waited for her muffled ‘what?’ before opening the door.

“Bella? Can we talk?”

She sat in the window seat, staring outside. Even though we’d been home for a few hours, she was still dressed in the formal clothing from our earlier lunch meeting with potential supporters. “What could we possibly have to talk about?”

Deciding I wouldn’t let her push me away anymore, I crossed the room and sat next to her. “There’s lots to talk about. I miss you.”

“You miss me?” She snapped her head away from the view outside, a frown on her lips. “You’re so confusing. You pull me toward you, then push me away for a month at a time. Why don’t we agree to work together to get you elected and then we can go our separate ways? I mean, I’ll still be your wife, and I’ll go to any big things you need me at, but you can stay in D.C. and I’ll stay here. No one would think that was strange, and we won’t constantly irritate each other.”

Letting out a long breath, I tried to grab ahold of my resolve to tell her. “There’s a reason I avoid you sometimes, especially when I know you’re upset.”

“Why? Why do you shut me out just when I think we are getting close?” Her brown eyes pleaded with me to offer her some sort of hope. It almost felt like she wanted to reconcile as much as I did. “You’ve never explained those men from the party, and you’re still no closer to making up with my family. Does any of this even matter to you?”

I sighed, knowing she had a point. It was up to me to smooth things over with her family, but lately I’d been more wrapped up in worrying about Rider and Tony and their demands and threats.

Gazing steadily at her, I tried to calm the shaking of my hands. “Remember when I told you there were things in my past that weren’t so good? That the public would turn against me if they found out, and I needed a wife to help me look respectable?”

She nodded. “Do those bad things you did before have anything to do with the men who crashed our wedding reception?”

“When did you figure that out?”

“When you left with them that night.” She shrugged. “I thought you’d come back and talk to me about it. I thought we’d work things out and get back on track, but you walked in like it didn’t even matter where you went, and I should be happy you came back to screw me.”

That night had replayed in my head so many times, and she was absolutely right. I’d decided to play the tough guy when she was still angry, so I’d come back in that night with no intention of telling her anything. Truly, I hadn’t wanted to tell her about Rider and the rest of them, mostly because I was too much of a coward to admit why their threats were so effective.

Without telling the truth, how could I explain why I was doing whatever they told me? I was giving them all the money they wanted, all to stop them from releasing that video they claimed to have. Bella wouldn’t quietly accept me paying off thugs without a proper explanation why. She was too smart for that.

Cringing inwardly, I also recalled the moment I told her all I wanted to do was fuck her and go to bed. On top of me not saying anything about why I left her alone at the party, that must have hurt her deeply. No wonder she’d attacked me and been so angry.

“I was angry too,” I admitted. “More hurt than angry, but a man isn’t supposed to be like that, right?”

“I... hurt you?” Her forehead furrowed as her lips took a downward turn. “How did I hurt you?”

While I wanted to run from this conversation, I knew we had to have it. “All my life, I’ve never had anyone in my corner. What Dad says goes, and even though Mom would disagree with him, she never stood up for me when it counted. It was always the same. I was on my own. My little sister is a spoiled brat who always gets her way, and I’m expected to uphold the family name and do everything perfectly.”

She shook her head, obviously not understanding where I was headed with this talk.

“I made a mistake, Bella. I’ll admit, I didn’t realize what a big mistake it was to offer your parents those gifts.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair to keep me from trying to hold or touch her. “I screwed up, but I had the best intentions. You were supposed to be on my side no matter what. Since we were trying for a real marriage, I thought that meant you would take my phone calls and together we’d work out a plan to make things up to your family. Instead, you shoved me out in the cold, just like my father always does. There’s no forgiveness in you, just like him, and that hurt a lot.”

Her eyes went wide, and before I could take in her reaction, she threw her arms around my shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Damian. I’ve been self-absorbed, painting you as the bad guy, blaming you for not showing up on my parents’ doorstep to make things right. That was foolish of me and selfish. I should have listened to you instead of lashing out. You aren’t bad, I’m the bad guy here. I know that. I just have so many trust issues and—”

“Shhhh...” I inhaled deeply while cutting off her rant of blame, taking in the flowery smell of her perfume, committing her softness to memory just in case I never felt her embrace again. It was just like her sweet nature to hear what I said and immediately blame herself, forgiving me in an instant. However, I could no longer hide behind her warmth.

“I’m so sorry.” She was sobbing now, holding onto me as though I were a lifeline.

“None of this is your fault, beautiful.” I took in a deep breath, firming up my resolve even though my hands trembled against her shoulders. “Maybe you haven’t reacted the way I would have liked to all this, but I am the bad guy. You hurt my feelings, but you have every right to do more than that to me.”

“No,” she said, stroking my back. “Don’t say that. You wanted to help my parents. Sally even thinks they should take the help and be happy. They’re being too proud, and I should have realized that earlier, stood by your side, and made them understand what you’d done was for them, not because they weren’t good enough in your eyes. I know you only wanted to care for them.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.” I sighed, kissing her neck in one last act of selfishness before pulling away. “This isn’t about what’s happened since we got married. It’s about when I was younger, about the mistakes I made. The guilt is eating me alive. I don’t want you to hate me, but I need you to know the truth. I owe you so much.”

“You keep saying that.” She tilted her head slightly. “That phrase you owe comes up a lot. You said it before when you tried to help my parents, that you owed it to them. Why is it your job to help my family?”

Chickening out and saying it was because we were married was so tempting, but I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, knowing I couldn’t give up now.

“Because I’m the one who—”

The shrill ring of Bella’s phone interrupted my confession. I froze, glancing at her, wondering if I should try and press on or if the moment had been lost.

She let her arms drop from around my back and fished inside her blazer pocket. “Sorry. That’s my dad’s cell. He should be at work. I have to take this.” She swiped to answer. “Dad? Is everything okay?”

I sat trying to listen in, nervous as Bella let out a small gasp.

“Mom did what? Is she going to be okay?” Bella’s hand shook so much that she couldn’t properly hold up the phone. “I don’t understand. How could that happen?”

Her words were broken, barely coming out. I was sure her dad couldn’t understand her. Gently, I extracted the phone from her powerless fingers. “Ed?” I said. “This is Damian. What’s going on?”

“Put my daughter back on the phone,” came his cold voice.

“I can’t do that,” I replied. “She’s too shaken up. What’s the situation?”

Ed’s loud sigh came over the phone.

“Please, Ed,” I said. “Let me help. Whatever’s happening, I promise to take care of Bella.”

“I don’t have time to argue,” Ed responded. “Sharon took a nose dive off the top stair on the bus when she tried to go to her night job. Hit her head real bad. She hasn’t regained consciousness. We’re at Mount Sanai. They’ve taken her back for emergency surgery, something about a brain bleed and broken bones. It doesn’t look good... she might not— Aghhh!” The man’s anguished cry broke my heart as I realized the severity of the situation.

“We’re on our way.”

“Not you,” Ed protested, voice still broken and shaking. “The boys are coming. It’ll be too tense.”

Even though I was frustrated, he had a point. Their mother was in emergency surgery after a bad head injury and might not live. Now wasn’t the time to intrude on their family and try to explain myself.

“I’ll bring Bella, and then I’ll leave. I won’t bother your family, but I’m not sending her there by herself.”

“Fine,” Ed agreed. “Come to the main entrance. I’ll meet her in the lobby. Sun’s going down. I didn’t realize how bad her fear was until she stayed with us last month, but I don’t want her walking around by herself now that darkness is coming.”

“Neither do I. I’ll walk her to the entrance,” I promised. “We’re leaving now.”

Hanging up the phone, I found Bella’s heels on the floor near the window seat. Tears streamed down her face, but she didn’t protest as I slipped the shoes onto her feet.

“It’s going to be okay,” I told her, not sure if I was telling a lie. “We’ll make sure she has the best medical team there is.”

She clung to me without question as I guided her to the elevator and then out the lobby doors. Since I didn’t want to take the time for James to come around with the car I led her to my Porsche, tucking her safely into the passenger seat and fastening her seat belt before rounding to the driver’s side. She was in a state of complete shock, simply staring out the window the entire drive without speaking. The tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

Part of me wanted to point out that if Sharon had been allowed to drive the car I bought her, this never would have happened. However, I realized how petty that was in this situation. If Sharon died... No, she had to be fine. Ed was just upset and scared. It probably wasn’t as bad as he made it seem.

We reached the hospital in record time. True to his word, Ed was waiting at the front entrance.

Bella ran to his waiting embrace. “Is Mom...? Is she...?”

“We haven’t heard anything more yet,” Ed said, soothing her with slow pats to her back, much more in control than he’d been on the phone. “Your mom’s strong. She’ll pull through. Come on, Elias is here. He’s up in the surgical waiting room. Kyle and Brandon are on their way.”

As though by reflex, Bella reached out for me, grabbing my hand. I couldn’t help the way it made my heart race or the joy it brought me. She’d actually wanted to feel my touch in this situation? After all our fighting and misunderstandings?

Ed glanced at our clasped hands and shook his head. “He can’t come, butterfly. You know it would only make things worse.”

Bella blinked a couple times slowly, then seemed to come to her senses, pulling her hand from mine. She let out a small sigh and shot me a tear-filled gaze. “Thanks for bringing me so quickly.”

“Of course.” I looked across her to Ed. “I don’t want to start more problems like before, but I want your permission to speak with the hospital. I’d like to make sure they spare no expense.”

Ed frowned, not answering.

“This isn’t me throwing money around,” I said quickly. “I’m sure neither of you have insurance, right?”

Ed grunted in grudging agreement.

“Let me handle these expenses, please. This isn’t anything about your abilities or worth. This is your wife’s health. I want to make sure they’re willing to bring in top consultants from around the state if that is what’s needed. Actually, there’s a neurosurgeon that I think they should contact, a friend of my dad’s and highly respected in the field. I’ll pay his fees and everything for the hospital. Whatever it takes to make sure Sharon’s okay.”

“Please Dad?” Bella gripped the front of Ed’s shirt. “I’m sorry there’s been all this anger, especially when Damian didn’t mean it the way everyone took it. He’s my husband, and he cares about our family. Let him help.”

I knew how proud Ed was, and I could see the resistance struggling with hope on his expression. Finally, he nodded. “I’ll tell them you’re allowed to make financial decisions and they should listen to you.”

Bella grabbed my hand again as we walked into the hospital lobby. Stopping at the desk, Ed quickly explained who I was and gave me the permissions needed. As the receptionist called someone to speak with me, Ed turned to me.

“Thanks for helping us, but I hope you understand this is as far as you can come. The boys aren’t ready to face you.”

Even though being shut out was frustrating, I did understand. I pulled Bella close, hugging her tight. “I know our fight isn’t over,” I whispered low enough that Ed wouldn’t overhear, “but none of that matters right now. I’ll do anything I can for you. Whatever you think about our marriage so far, I do love you.”

She pulled back a bit, blinking at me before finally nodding. Tipping up on her toes, she pressed a quick kiss against my mouth. “I’ll call you as soon as we hear anything on Mom. I’ll also work on my brothers. I’d like you here with me. I should have stood up to them all before.”

I gently wiped away her tears. “Want me to call Sally? Your family likes her.”

“No. She’s on a date since she was off today, and I’m okay. I have Dad and the boys. The only other person I want is you.”

I knew I shouldn’t be so happy with Sharon fighting for life, but I couldn’t help the hope and joy that rose within my chest. “I’ll handle everything financially. Please don’t worry about a thing. Give me an update, and just as soon as you want me here, I’ll be here.”

“Okay.” She gave me another gentle kiss.

“What the hell are you doing?” It was impossible to mistake Kyle’s angry growl.

Glancing toward the doorway revealed Brandon and Kyle marching our direction. Kyle snatched Bella’s arm, dragging her away from me.

“Ouch!” she protested.

Puffing myself to my full height, I glowered at Kyle. “Don’t touch her that way. Whatever you think of me, I won’t allow you to hurt your sister!”

Bella shrugged Kyle’s hand away. “Don’t be an asshole, Kyle. I should have said that weeks ago. I’ll kiss my husband if I want to.”

Kyle’s mouth fell open for a moment, then snapped closed again. If his eyes could shoot out daggers, I’d be a dead man!

Knowing they had bigger things to worry about, I put my hands up in surrender. “Look, I don’t want to fight. Your mom is who’s important right now. Elias is waiting for you all in the surgical waiting room. Go be with him.”

“Mr. Grogan?” A woman walking out of the financial office called my name, a wide smile on her face. “I can meet with you now. This way please.”

I gave Bella one last squeeze. “It’s going to be okay.”

She nodded, though I could tell she tried to act stronger than she really felt. Of course, she had to be the strong one now with her brothers around. Whether or not she continued standing up to them for my sake, she would never let them see her fear over their mom’s injury. It had always been her job to take care of the boys when they were younger—before I ruined her life and she moved away from them.

As the family walked off, I went to meet with the financial team. All I could do was make sure the hospital asked for top consults and did whatever it took to save Sharon, no matter the cost. Once I finished that, I’d return home and wait for Bella’s call. Whatever problems remained between us, I felt certain she would call me tonight. Even though she reminded me she had trust issues, I could sense she wanted to trust me again.

A small part of me felt guilty, realizing that I may have just found a way to make up with her without telling her the truth of our past. I had been prepared to tell her, but fate intervened. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to tell her. Maybe we could find our way to happiness without the truth ruining everything.