The Treachery of the Heart

Abbie nodded quickly in response before pushing her hands into the carpet to bring herself to her feet. When she was standing beside him, she lifted her small arms, and wrapped them around his neck to give him a hug goodbye.

Riley's arm draped around her small frame. Lifting his eyes once more, he peered up at Leah, and held her gaze for a long moment.

Squeezing Abbie, he cleared his throat, and tried to speak with difficulty. "Be good for your mother," he told her quietly.

When Abbie nodded in agreement, and sat back down to play, Riley got to his feet. The moment he was dreading was finally at hand, and he couldn't avoid it a moment longer as he met Leah's eyes.

"I guess this is goodbye," he said softly.

Nodding brusquely, Leah stepped away from the kitchen door to approach him. Using all of the willpower she had within her, she kept her expression level when he pulled her into his arms. His grip on her tightened immediately, and his mouth pressed against her temple near her ear.

In a tone that was barely audible he let out a harsh breath. "I will always love you," he breathed for her alone.

Leah's insides clenched until it felt as if her rib cage were breaking into pieces. Clutching onto his neck in a death grip, she forced herself to remain stoic.

"Your family loves you more than you know," she choked out in return.

Releasing her, Riley turned away to smile tightly at his brother for a moment before approaching the door.

Pulling it open beneath his fingers, he lifted his duffel bag to his shoulder once more then walked through it. When it closed behind him there was a long moment of silence after his departure.

"It's a shame he couldn't stay longer," Mark replied wistfully. "It's been a long time since we've seen him."

Nodding in response, Leah fought hard to keep it together. "He has his whole life ahead of him. We might not see much of him for a while."

Her haunted blue eyes peered longingly at the door before they lowered to take in her daughter's smiling face. Her expression struck Leah as peculiar. Tilting her head, she looked at her in confusion.

"What is it, sweetie?" she asked.

Abbie's smile was still in place when she responded. "Are you married to uncle Riley too, mommy?"

Leah's eyes widened in surprise as she took in the question.

"No, honey. Mommy is married to daddy," Mark answered. "Why would you ask such a silly thing?"

Abbie's small shoulders lifted in a shrug. "Mommy was kissing him in the kitchen. I thought only married people do that."

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Riley dropped his duffel bag in the middle of the floor, and looked about the room. There was nothing about it that brought him the slightest bit of comfort. It seemed cold, and empty just like his heart.

Gripping the room key tightly in his hand, he squeezed it with all of his might until the jagged teeth bit painfully into his palm. It did little to ease the agony that was shooting through him.

Stepping over to the edge of the bed, he sat his weight down on the end of it, and dropped his head into his hands. He had to let her go. She didn't belong to him, and never would.

The pain of it was eating his insides. He didn't think he could stand it for a second longer. Falling back onto the flower patterned bedspread, he lifted his arm to cover his eyes, and took a deep breath.

He could always sign up for another tour. It gave him the opportunity to travel, and at least gave him some sort of purpose. He had been content with his life over the past two years. He hadn't exactly been happy, but the army had given him a sense of direction. It had distracted him from all of this. It had worked once, why couldn't it work again?

The idea held a lot of merit, he had to admit. If he couldn't have her, then he would exorcize her from his mind in the only way he knew how. Through physical activity that was so draining that he would be too exhausted to think straight. It was the only answer that he had.

Cringing in agony he shook his head as he bit down on his lip hard. He could take care of all of that in the morning. Tonight, only one thing was going to ease his suffering. He needed to get drunk.

Pulling himself to a sitting position, he got up from the bed. His long legs carried him swiftly across the room, and he reached for the door handle to yank it open.

The sight of Leah standing on the other side of it made him stop cold in his tracks. He managed to recover quickly, and a frown clouded his features.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in confusion.

Her blue eyes were filled with distress when she met his gaze. "I told Mark everything," she admitted in a rush. "He wants a divorce."

Riley's eyes rounded at that disclosure. "What do you mean you told him? I thought you wanted to stay with him?"

Leah shook her head vehemently. "I never wanted that. I just had to do what was best for Abbie. I had to stay."

Riley felt even more confused. "I don't understand. Then why would you tell him, Leah?"

"Abbie told Mark what she saw this morning. When he asked me about it, I couldn't lie to him. I told him the truth. I told him that I'm in love with you. That I've always been in love with you. I couldn't keep it in anymore."

When she burst into tears, Riley let out an expletive before pulling her into the room, and into his arms. Holding her close, he closed his eyes.

"Don't cry," he begged. "You know I can't take it."

His words only made her sob harder as she clutched onto him. "I love you, Riley."

His grip on her tightened while his breath expelled heavily. "I love you too. Everything is going to be alright, Leah. I swear it."

"What if Abbie grows up to hate me for what I've done?" she whispered.

"She won't," Riley assured her. "She'll grow up deeply loved by all of us. She'll never want for anything. I meant it when I said that I'd take care of you."

Leaning back, he looked down at her tear streaked face, and lifted his thumbs to brush the wetness from her cheeks.

"I want you to be my wife, Leah. It's what I've always wanted." His grey eyes delved deep into hers before he took a deep breath. "Will you marry me?"

Leah's expression was stunned as he held her. It sent a quiver of fear through Riley's frame, but then she smiled. It was a radiant smile that lit up her whole face.

"Yes," she replied softly. "I'll marry you."

Riley's heart stilled within his chest, and then he too was smiling. Pulling her to him, he kissed her mouth ecstatically. His strong arms wrapped around her tightly, possessively, and then his forehead dropped to hers as his eyes closed.

"We're going to be happy, Leah. I promise."

When he opened them he was swiftly enthralled by the unmistakable expression of happiness upon her face.

"I know," she told him breathlessly. "My heart belongs with you."