Better (Stark Ink Book 2) by Dahlia West Page B

longer, but it took me a while to work up the balls to go to my first meeting.”
    “You’re… you’re in a program?”
    “Yeah. I mean, I didn’t go voluntarily,” he told her because it felt more important to be honest than make himself look good. “Not at first. Adam dragged me to rehab and they threw me in a cell, well, it felt like a cell, anyway. They can only hold you if you’re actually drunk. Once I dried out and looked around, I decided to stay.”
    She looked up at him, eyes rimmed with tears. “You finally went.”
    Dalton hung his head, feeling ashamed. Rehab was the only thing Zoey had ever really pushed him on. But he hadn’t wanted to hear it at the time.
    “I wasn’t ready,” he told her. “I wasn’t ready when Adam took me there, either. But once I cleared my head, I realized you were really, truly gone. And that’s how I knew I’d gone as low as I could possibly go. They… when you go to AA they have you make a list of all the people you screwed over when you were boozing. You’re supposed to visit them, tell them you’re sorry, make it up to them. Zoey, I put you on that list so many times and every single time I’d scratch you off. You’re only supposed to make Amends if it would make things better for them. If seeing you again would hurt them more, then you leave them alone.”
    He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “You were engaged. I thought you were happy. I thought seeing me or hearing from me would only upset you and I didn’t want that. Goddamn it, Zoey, I thought you were okay! If I’d known the truth, if I’d had the balls to come and see you, I would’ve realized what was going on. This wouldn’t have happened to you! I’d have gotten you the hell out of there.”
    He blew out a sharp breath. “This is my fault,” he decided. “I let this happen to you. I let him hurt you. I cheated on you and he beat you and you deserve so much better than either one of us.”
    She pulled away and shook her head. “My marriage has nothing to do with you. It’s not your fault, Dalton. Honestly. But…” Her lower lip trembled. “Listen, if my being here is going to hurt your recovery, if it’ll set you back in any way, then I’ll go. I’ll go right now. To my parents, or a hotel, anywhere. It doesn’t matter. I’ll be okay. It’s more important that you’re okay.”
    He shook his head vehemently. “I’m fine, Zoey. I’m doing fine.”
    “But Dalton, you were… sick… for so long. I prayed so hard for you to get better. If-”
    Dalton grabbed her hand. “Zoey, listen to me. I’ll be okay. I swear it. You can believe me, but I’m not asking you to trust me, okay? I wouldn’t do that. You don’t have to. I’ll do anything you need to make you feel safe.”
    “I’m sorry,” she told him. “I don’t know. We’re not…”
    They weren’t together. He wasn’t obligated to her. He owed her no explanations, he supposed. But they were still friends, or at least he’d like to think so. “It’s okay,” he said gently. “I get it. I hurt you; he hurt you. That does things to your sense of faith in people. You’ll get it back, though. Don’t worry.”
    “Is there anything I can do?”
    He shook his head and squeezed her hand. “No. I got this.”
    She considered his words for so long Dalton got lightheaded. He’d forgotten to breathe. Finally she stepped forward and he pulled her into a hug. He held her against him and suddenly her stomach growled loudly. Despite her tears, Zoey laughed. Dalton grinned down at her. “Well, one of you is clearly hungry.”
    She pulled away from him. “I can make us something.”
    He shook his head. “Why bother? It’s Sunday. Chinese for three?”
    She smiled. “You know that’s not actually a thing, right? You’re not eating for two when you’re pregnant.”
    Dalton eyed her suspiciously. “Well, I meant Ava, actually. But are you sure about that, Z? Cause I’m looking at your boobs right now