Page 30 of What She Deserves

“You didn’t want that, remember?” She looked at him with a doleful expression, eyes revealing the weight of the pain he must have caused. Now he understand what it felt like when someone you cared about cut you out of part of their life, and he didn’t like it.

Damn, he wished he could take back that time. Knowing he’d hurt her tormented his conscience.

“I cared about you, and by default I cared about your family and your friends. Anything that matters to you matters to me,” Rashad said. “Will you at least tell him that I’m rooting for him?”

Layla nodded. “Sure.”

They walked to the front of the apartment, and he helped her put on her coat.

Rashad kissed her cheek, his arms wound loosely around her waist. “Keep me posted on your dad.”

“I will.”

“Look at me, Layla.”

She lifted her gaze from his chest.

“I’m not going to screw this up.”

“I guess we’ll see how you do. Good night, Rashad.”

After she left, he went to look out the window, hands stuffed into his pockets. No doubt he’d been selfish before, but losing Layla had taught him a valuable lesson. How much she meant to him. If she gave him another chance, he’d show her that he could be a different man.

The kind of man she deserved.