Two Hearts

Running Back

Daniel POV

I stood in the foyer for a long moment after Laura disappeared back into the kitchen.

It felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff. Behind me was everything I knew. Everything familiar. Everything safe. In front of me was the unknown. And for the first time in years, I wasn't sure which direction terrified me more.

I wasn't ready.

Not yet.

Maybe I never would be.

With a frustrated curse under my breath, I grabbed my car keys and walked out.

Before pulling away from the house, I called Thomas and Michael. My business partners. My drinking partners. My usual escape route. Michael answered on the second ring.

"Well, look who's alive," he laughed. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Nowhere." The answer came out harsher than intended.

"Same place as always? One hour."

There was a brief pause. Then Michael chuckled.

"Of course. Tonight's supposed to be a good one. I heard they're bringing in exotic dancers."

Normally that would've earned some kind of reaction.

Tonight?

I couldn't have cared less.

"See you there." I hung up.

The Red Velvet Club was exactly the same as I remembered.

Expensive. Loud. Packed with wealthy men pretending they were happier than they actually were. Some came looking for entertainment. Some came looking for women. Some came because they didn't know where else to go.

I used to belong here. At least I thought I did.

Thomas and Michael were already sitting at our usual VIP table when I arrived.

The waitresses greeted us by name. Drinks appeared without us ordering. Everything happened the way it always had - Predictable. Comfortable. Familiar.

So why did it suddenly feel wrong?

"Daniel, sweetheart." A red-haired waitress appeared beside me.

I recognized her immediately. We'd spent a few nights together months ago. Nothing serious. Nothing memorable. At least not for me.

"You haven't been around lately. Everything okay?" She smiled sweetly.

Too sweetly. Too much perfume. Too much makeup. Too much everything.

"I'm fine." My voice came out cold enough that she immediately understood the message.

Good.

She smiled awkwardly and disappeared.

Good girl.

The evening continued - Whiskey. Business talk. Stock market discussions. Stories about women. Stories about money. Stories about absolutely nothing.

Thomas and Michael did most of the talking. I mostly listened. Occasionally nodded. Occasionally answered.

But mentally?

I wasn't there.

Every road somehow led back to Laura. Every conversation. Every silence. Every drink. I kept hearing her voice.

Every time we get closer, you're the one who pulls away.

Damn it.

She wasn't wrong. That was the worst part.

Then the dancers joined our table after their show. They laughed. Flirted. Sat too close. Touched too much.

I recognized a few of them. Old habits. Old mistakes. Old distractions. The exact kind of life I thought I wanted. Or maybe thought I deserved.

Then suddenly one of them grabbed my hand.

"Wait." She stared at my finger. "What is that?"

I looked down. The wedding ring.

For a second, I genuinely forgot it was there. It had become so normal that I no longer noticed it.

"Daniel..." Her eyes widened. "Are you married?"

And chaos erupted. Questions came from every direction. Thomas. Michael. The dancers. Everyone talking at once.

I immediately felt a headache coming.

"STOP." The entire table went silent.

"No questions." I looked at each of them.

"No answers." My voice dropped lower.

"I don't want to talk about it."

That usually worked.

And it did. For about ten seconds.

Then Tanya slid closer. Too close.

"Come on, Daniel." Her voice dripped with fake sweetness. "If your wife isn't taking care of you..." Her hand slid onto my thigh. "...I'm sure we could help."

The implication was obvious. The entire table laughed. And something inside me snapped.

Not because of what she offered. Not because she touched me. Because of the way she said wife.

As if Laura were some inconvenience. Some obstacle. Some woman she could replace.

The anger hit so fast it almost shocked me. I grabbed Tanya's wrist and removed her hand. Immediately. Firmly.

Her smile disappeared.

I stood up.

Pulled several banknotes from my wallet and threw them onto the table. Then I looked directly at her. Cold. Dangerously calm.

"You're not half the woman she is."

The entire table froze. Even Michael looked shocked.

I took one step back.

"And if I were you..." My voice dropped lower. "I'd be very careful what I say next."

Tanya's face turned pale. Because she knew I wasn't joking. One phone call and she would never work here again.

Not that I planned to make that call.

But she didn't know that.

Nobody said another word as I walked away.

I got into my car and gripped the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned white.

I was furious. At Tanya. At the club. At myself. At everything.

Most of all at myself.

Because tonight finally forced me to admit something. I didn't belong there anymore. I had spent years running back to the same places. The cabin. Alcohol. Work. Women.

Anything that kept me from thinking. Anything that kept me from feeling. But none of it worked anymore.

Not since Laura.

And that realization scared me more than anything. Because if I couldn't run anymore...

Then sooner or later I'd have to face what I was running from.

I drove home.

Straight home. No detours. No second thoughts.

Just home.

Because for the first time in ten years...

Home wasn't the house. Home was a person.

And her name was Laura.

The house was dark when I arrived. Every light was off. Silence greeted me as I stepped inside.

My stomach immediately tightened.

She left.

The thought hit me instantly.

She took the kids and left.

And honestly?

After the way I acted tonight, I wouldn't blame her. Hell, I'd probably leave me too.

Then I noticed their coats. Their shoes. The children's backpacks.

Still there.

A strange wave of relief hit me so hard I almost laughed. They're here.

She's here.

I climbed the stairs slowly.

My heart felt ridiculous. Like I was sixteen instead of thirty-four. I stopped outside Laura's door. Looked at the clock - Past midnight.

Maybe she was asleep. Maybe I should leave her alone.

Maybe—

No. Not this time. I knocked softly. Nothing.

I waited.

Knocked again.

Still nothing.

Every instinct told me to walk away. Instead, I opened the door. Just enough for the hallway light to spill inside.

Laura was lying with her back to me. Motionless. I couldn't tell if she was asleep. Or pretending.

"Laura?" My voice was barely above a whisper.

Nothing.

"Laura... are you asleep?" Still nothing.

I closed my eyes.

Took a breath.

And finally said the words I should've said hours ago. Maybe days ago. Maybe weeks ago.

"I'm sorry."

The words felt strange leaving my mouth. Heavy. Honest. Real.

I stood there another second. Then quietly closed the door.

Maybe she heard me. Maybe she didn't. Maybe it was better if she didn't. Because for the first time in a very long time...

I wasn't sure I could survive hearing her say she didn't forgive me.

Laura POV

The moment I walked back into the kitchen and slammed the door behind me, I heard Daniel leave.

Seconds later the engine started.

I walked to the dining room window and watched his car disappear into the darkness. And something inside me broke.

I didn't even know why anymore.

Maybe because I was tired. Maybe because I was hurt. Maybe because every time I thought we'd finally reached each other...

He ran.

Again.

And again.

And again.

I wiped my eyes angrily.

Failed.

More tears came.

I wanted to throw every plate in the kitchen against the wall. Wanted to scream. Wanted to break something. Because at least broken things made sense.

Daniel didn't.

One moment he pulled me closer. The next he pushed me away. And I was exhausted. So unbelievably exhausted.

For one insane moment I considered taking the children and leaving. Calling Erik. Paying him back somehow. Starting over.

Anything had to be easier than this.

Anything.

But instead, I cleaned the kitchen. Because apparently that was how I dealt with emotional breakdowns.

I cleaned. I washed my face. I forced myself to smile. Then I spent another hour listening to Ellia and Markus tell me every detail of their weekend.

They kept interrupting each other. Correcting each other's stories. Arguing about who remembered events properly.

Normally I would've laughed. Normally I would've enjoyed every second.

Tonight I couldn't focus.

Because every thought somehow led back to him.

Eventually I tucked them into bed. Kissed their foreheads. Said goodnight. And returned to my room.

Alone.

For the first time in a long time... I felt completely alone.

I pulled the blanket over myself and finally let the tears come. No pretending. No smiling. No being strong.

Just me.

And the hurt.

I don't know how much time passed. Maybe an hour. Maybe more. Then I heard a soft knock.

I froze.

The children never came to my room at night.

Another knock.

Then the door slowly opened.

"Laura?" Daniel.

My entire body tensed. I didn't move. Didn't breathe. Didn't answer.

"Laura... are you asleep?" His voice sounded different.

Not cold. Not distant. Almost uncertain.

I kept my eyes closed. Kept pretending. Because if I looked at him now, I knew I'd cry again. And I couldn't survive that.

Not tonight.

There was a long silence.

Then—

"I'm sorry."

The door quietly closed. And suddenly every wall I'd spent the evening building collapsed. Tears streamed down my face faster than before.

Because somehow those two words hurt more than everything else. Because they mattered. And I hated that they mattered.

I buried my face into the pillow and cried until I couldn't breathe. Because now I truly didn't know what to do anymore.

And for the first time since meeting Daniel Carter...

I wasn't sure he knew either.