David's POV
I had shattered my own promise. The words I spoke years ago in that car echoed through my mind like a curse. I swore I would never cause her pain, yet here we were, with her suffering because of my actions.
"I remember," I breathed against her skin, my forehead touching hers. "Every single detail comes back to me now."
How could I claim to cherish her while simultaneously destroying her? What sort of beast had I become?
"Go away, David," she whispered, pulling back from my touch and letting her head fall forward onto the table's surface.
Even after what I had done, abandoning her felt impossible. Her nearness was the only thing keeping my lungs functioning properly.
"I won't," I admitted, despising my own weakness. "Allow me to tend to you first. This mess is mine to fix. I'm begging you."
