The End Of a Marriage
Chapter 309
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He stepped closer, his eyes blazing as they roamed over her face, her soft, trembling mouth. “Like taking you over my knee and spanking
your bare bottom so hard you forget how to even think about flirting with another man.”
The heat in his words sent a shiver through her. But more than that it made her want to reassure him, to make him understand that no
one else had ever stood a chance. That no one else ever would. She took a step closer, reaching for him, but his expression shifted – the
fire dimmed just a little as he looked away.
“But lately…” he started, his voice quieter now, heavier. “Lately, I’ve been feeling like you didn’t want me at all. Like you hated even the
sight of me. You run away whenever I come near you. You won’t even look me in the eyes, and you avoid my touch like you think I’ll
attack you the moment our skin brushes together.”
He was still turned away from her, but she could hear the crack in his voice the hurt he was trying so hard to hide. And it broke her
heart.
“You’re afraid of me,” he whispered. “Or… if not of me, then of the whole idea of being with me. And you don’t know how guilty I feel for
hurting you that night. I-”
–
But Isla had heard enough. She couldn’t let him carry this pain not when it was so far from the truth.
“No,” she interrupted softly, stepping toward him until she was close enough to touch. “If anyone’s been hurt, it’s you. And I’m the one who did it. By pulling away from you when I should’ve been holding on tighter.”
The sadness in her voice made him turn back to her, his brow furrowed. “Isla…”
“I didn’t avoid you because I was afraid of you,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “I was afraid of disappointing you.”
She looked away now, unable to meet his gaze, her fingers twisting nervously.
“Maggie told you, didn’t she? How I’ve had a crush on you since I was a little girl? How I used to doodle our names together in the back of my notebooks and daydream about the day you’d finally notice me?”
The blush rising in her cheeks was so sweet it made Graham’s heart ache.
“I never thought it would actually happen,” she whispered. “But then you did propose. And from the moment you did, I knew one of the biggest reasons you wanted to marry me was because you were attracted to me. And… you brought everything into this marriage, Graham.
Money. Power. A home. Even my heart.”
Her voice cracked. “And the one thing I had to give you the one thing you wanted – I couldn’t. I failed you. I couldn’t even give you
that. And I was so embarrassed.”
The tears she’d been holding back finally fell, silent and slow.
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15:19 Tue, Mar 31 M…
Chapter 309
“That night, when it all went wrong… I saw your face, Graham. The blood, the mess… you were disgusted. I saw it in your eyes. And I knew I knew I’d ruined everything. Any chance we had at happiness… gone.”
–
“Isla, no-”
But she couldn’t stop now. “You couldn’t even look at me after that. And I thought… I thought you regretted marrying me.”
Graham felt like someone had punched him in the gut. Before she could say another word, he was moving, closing the distance between them and pulling her into his arms like a drowning man clutching a lifeline.
“You foolish, beautiful girl,” he whispered against her hair, holding her so tightly it was like he could fuse them together. “I was never disgusted with you. Never. I was disgusted with myself.”
–
He pulled back just enough to look into her tear–filled eyes. “I thought I’d hurt you. That I’d been too rough that I’d scared you away
from me. And I would rather die than hurt you again.”
His voice softened, his hands cupping her face with a gentleness that made her heart ache. “And even if you never share my bed again – even if you decide you never want me in that way I’m still not letting you go. Ever.”
–
Her laugh was watery and broken, her face pressed against his chest. “Why?”
He grinned, the sound of her laughter filling him with hope. “Because…” He bent down, his lips brushing the shell of her ear as his voice dropped to a wicked whisper. “If I can’t have that sweet little body of yours… no one else can.”
Her entire face went up in flames, the blush so fierce it spread all the way down her neck. Graham laughed, low and warm, brushing a kiss
against her temple.
“Now go on,” he teased, his eyes darkening just a little as he traced his thumb along her jaw. “Get rid of that snake Marco. Unless, of course, you want me to follow through on that spanking threat. Who knows? You might even enjoy it.”
The heat in his voice made her knees weak. And as she turned to leave, her heart racing, she knew one thing for sure:
She didn’t want anyone else but him.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
