DELILAH

Tamara has disappeared. When we arrived, she went to the bathroom, and I haven't seen her since. I managed to convince Hannah to let me leave her side a minute ago, and now I need to find Tamara so we can leave. I couldn't tell Hannah I wanted to leave, because then she would ask why, and I can't tell her. My heart was aching enough as I walked around with her and heard everyone telling her congratulations. There is no way Hannah doesn't know about Beau and me. She probably invited me to shove it in my face that she is the woman who the whole world will know owns Beau's heart.

Walking inside the main house, I check the rooms one by one looking for Tamara. She's not picking up her phone, and I'm beginning to get worried. I'm about to turn a room doorknob when the person inside beats me to it.

"Delilah," Beau says, stepping out of the room.

I roll my eyes at him and turn to walk away, but Beau halts my steps by grabbing my hand.

"Mon amour, I am so sorry she invited you tonight. I swear I didn't know she was going to."

I whirl around to face him with my hand ready to smack him hard across the face.

"Did you just call me your love? Are you fucking mad?" I shout at Beau as he holds my hand in the air, preventing me from slapping him. I am in so much pain, and he is the reason why. I feel like hitting him so he can feel the same way I do.

"Mon amour, I know I have no right to call you my love, but I can't help myself. You are the love of my life, and I would do anything to ease your pain."

"Ease my pain? Calling me your love when you're getting married in a few months is only making me want to smash your head against the wall, Beau." Angry tears begin to swim in my eyes.

"I am sorry; I don't wish for you to be in this kind of pain. I am truly sorry this is happening to you."

Beau pulls me into his chest and cages me against his body, wrapping his arms securely around me. I try to break free, but his scent fills my nostrils as the warmth from his body starts passing into mine. I give up and let down my walls. I accept his comfort because frankly, my broken heart needs it. Before I know it, Beau's shirt is soaked with my tears. Everything I have been holding back since I arrived here comes out. It hurts so much to see him with someone else.

"I love you, and that's all that should matter to you," he says into my hair.

"Why are you marrying her then?"

"I think you know why, my love."

"Beau, your mother shouldn't force you to marry someone you don't want to." I pull away from his chest and stare up at him. That would be the only reason in this world Beau would marry Hannah if he didn't want to.

"I wish that was possible, but unfortunately, it's not."

"Why?"

"I wish I could tell you, but I can't."

"You can't or won't?" I ask, moving out of his arms. His hold had loosened as we began to talk, giving me a chance to step away.

"I can't."

"I don't believe you. I don't even know why I am fooling myself into believing you love me, and that it's only because of your mother you are getting married to someone else."

"I swear it's the truth."

"Even if that part is true, I still haven't forgotten what you did."

"I'll be forever sorry for it."

"Of course, you will." My tone drips with sarcasm. "How can I ever believe your words again, Beau?" He keeps telling me he loves me, but continues to break my heart at every chance he gets.

"Trust me, Delilah, I am sorry for what happened seven years ago." He palms my face, making me stare up at him. His eyes tell me he's not lying, but mine remember what I saw that day. I will never forget it.

"How can I even believe you? I haven't seen you in seven years, and you claim you are still in love with me. How is that possible, Beau? Please tell me how." The memories that make it impossible to believe his words float through my brain, and tears begin to form in my eyes again.

"It is, I swear it is." He wipes away the tears escaping my eyes.

"No," I forcefully remove his hands from around my face. "It is not. You didn't love me then, and you don't love me now."

"Then why am I saying I do?"

"Because you love seeing me like this."

"Like how?" He asks, confused.

"Like this, hurt. Because of my feelings for you."

"How could you say that, Delilah? My heart shatters every time I remember I am the reason for your pain." He looks so genuine, but I remind myself why I shouldn't believe him.

"Then stop hurting me, Beau. Please stop."

"I will; I plan to spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

"Do you know how tiring it is listening to your lies all the time?"

"I am not lying."

"If you're not, then how the fuck can you say you loved me years ago when you cheated on me and said you didn't love me?" I scream. "Fucking tell me how, Beau!"

Beau stares at me, speechless. This only breaks my heart more because I knew this was the reaction I would get once I confronted him about what happened back then. I wipe away the tears falling from my eyes as Beau's mouth remains shut. Hatred fills my heart as I continue to stand in front of him.

"I hate you." This time when I lift my hand, he doesn't stop me. The slap is hard, but Beau has no reaction. He just continues to stand there.

"I don't want to ever see you anywhere near me. I'll kill you if I do." I walk away from him and say a silent prayer that this is the last time I'll ever see Beau.

BEAU

I don't turn back and look as Delilah walks away from me. My fist remains as tightly locked as it was when she slapped me. Anger burns hot in my chest. I can't believe my attempt to make things better between us only made it worse. My shoulders hunch as I realize I might never get Delilah back. I rub my palm across my face and shake my head as I recall the last words she said to me. I wish more than anything in this world that I could explain things to her, but it would only push her further away. I'm confused about what my next step is. My mother is forcing me to marry Hannah, and my plans of getting Delilah back keep failing. It seems as if the whole world is working against me. It makes me feel helpless and that only makes the anger build until I can't take it anymore. With a growl, I lash out, punching the closest wall to me.

Fuck!

The skin breaks, and blood pours out of my knuckles, but I don't care. My heart is in more pain than my hand could ever be. I need to find Hannah. She has some explaining to do. Luckily, I don't even have to look for her because she comes running up to me the second I walk out of the house.

"Oh my God! What happened to your hand?" Hannah asks, concerned. She tries to grab my hand, but I pull away, letting my blood continue to drip and stain the pavement near the back door.

"You fucking happened." My voice is filled with condescension.

"Me? I don't understand." She sounds genuinely confused, but I know better.

"Stay away from Delilah."

"Why? So you can continue to sleep with her and risk the whole world finding out our engagement is a sham?"

Hannah's no fool, and she doesn't love me. She's only marrying me for the wealth, status, and power that comes with the Williams name, but now I know she will do anything to make sure she gets it. I need make sure she backs off now, so I won't have to add her to the list of people I have to protect Delilah from.

"That's none of your business. Stay the hell away from her."

"No! I won't!" She smirks. "Tonight, I reminded her that the whole world knows you belong to me. Not her. Next time, I will make sure to be clearer about staying the hell away from you, too."

"Hannah," I growl. "I am warning you for the last time. Stay away from her!"

"And if I don't? Then what will you do?" She asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

A fake, harsh laugh breaks out of me before I grab her by the neck and back her into the wall, the darkness shielding us from the party's view. I can't touch my mother when she says bullshit about Delilah, but I won't stand by and allow this piece of shit to threaten her.

"Beau!" Hannah exclaims, shocked to see this side of me. Even Delilah has never seen me like this, and that's because it only comes out when someone threatens her.

"Listen to me and listen to me well. I don't know what plan you've cooked up, but if you do anything to harm Delilah in any way," I bring my face even closer to hers, our noses almost touching. "And I mean, in any fucking way, the wedding is off." My warning is deadly, and I can tell she's beginning to understand this isn't a game.

"Fine," She gasps, fear entering her eyes. "Please let go."

I slowly release my hold, giving her one last, long stare before walking away. I need another drink before I explode. Tonight just keeps getting worse, no point in dealing with it sober.