Page 216 of Heartless Sinner

“She loves you and regrets what she did every single day.”

I kept the fucking obvious response to myself: people who loved you didn’t do that.

I knew Daphne regretted it.

I’d seen it in every text she’d sent. Heard it in every voicemail where she’d apologized through sobs.

I hadn’t answered a single one.

But I’d read and listened to them all.

“Trust me, I’d much rather Daphne be here in Calira and not in love with an asshole who refuses to answer her texts.” She sighed. “I’ve known Daphne for years. She never meant any harm.”

She tipped her head, as if saying her business was done, and turned around and left.

I looked across the yacht at Daphne.

She stood with Blair with her back against the railing, holding a sweater over her shoulders. Her hair blew with the wind and around her tiara.

All night I’d pretended I wasn’t staring.

But that was all I’d done.

And I felt like a fucking fool over it.

I’d spent most of the night hiding at this railing like the ocean had answers for me.

I looked away for only seconds before someone yelled, “Oh shit!”

Daphne grabbed for her sweater as it slipped over the railing.

“Daphne!” someone yelled.

She reached again, caught nothing but air, and fell over the edge.

I didn’t want to be Daphne’s Prince Charming.

So why the fuck was I already diving in after her?

Fifty-Eight

Brooks

Daphne coughed up a mouthful of water, her arms locked around my neck, as I swam us toward the dock.

By the time I hauled her out of the water, my lungs burned, but I ignored it. She collapsed onto her ass, still coughing, as water pooled around her shivering body.

“I’m normally a good swimmer.” She wiped water from her face with the soaking-wet sweater she’d managed to save on our swim back, which didn’t help much. “But I keep being rescued by men.” She frowned. “I don’t like that.”

I cracked a smile.

There she is. There’s that attitude.

This was the Daphne I’d fallen in love with.

I shook my head to shove that thought away.

I hadn’t come here to fall into that trap again, but I wasn’t sure if I’d ever escaped it to begin with.