I See You Quotes

“I can’t marry you,” I finally said. He nodded slowly. “I figured that out.” His mouth opened, then shut quickly, and he went back to waiting. But I couldn’t figure out where to begin, because I couldn’t understand Declan. There was a sadness deep in his eyes, but he didn’t look as if I’d just rejected his proposal. He didn’t look like the girl he’d thought was his fiancée had just told him she couldn’t marry him. He looked as if he had been waiting for this conversation. “Why, Rorie?” he said pleadingly. “Why won’t you?” “I’m sorry, Dec. I’m so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you, but I—” I sucked in a sharp breath, as if my body was rebelling against voicing the truth to him again, then forced out: “I fell in love with Jentry.” He winced in pain. “It was before I ever met you. I just didn’t know who he was. I didn’t know who he was to you, and didn’t think that I would see him again! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean for this to happen, but I couldn’t continue a relationship with you when my heart belonged to someone else. It wasn’t fair to you. You have to understand than I never wanted to hurt you; he never wanted to hurt you.” Declan’s lips formed a sad smile after a few moments. “God, that hurts just as much hearing it the second time.”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“... In those kinds of houses with those kinds of lifestyles, the kids either work to get away from the situation, get sucked into it, or embrace it.”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“Everything okay?” she asked softly. I had a family, and there was a possibility that Jessica was ready to turn her life around. I had a wife who could bring me to my knees with a smile, and she was pregnant with our son. Okay was an understatement. I placed my hand on Aurora’s chest, and watched her eyes warm and dance with wonder and adoration. My good. My light. My bliss. “Perfect.”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“When he was hovering above me, he gathered my hands in his and whispered, “I can see you, Aurora, and you’re so damn beautiful. And you’re finally mine.” I”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“When I look at you, Aurora, I see everything I’ve ever wanted. And as much as I hate it and try to push it away, that makes me hear my biological mother, and makes me terrified of what I could do to you. The thought of ever hurting or ruining you haunts me.” I opened my mouth, but hesitated. “Say it,” he prompted gently. “You told me that you vowed to protect people instead of hurt them, but the way you are—you don’t protect people because you feel like you should or you have to. It’s your natural instinct to. The possibility of what you could do when you’re angry is what fuels your fear of it. Anyone can do something horrible when they’re angry. The difference is that you’ve lived it. You’ve felt it. You grew up in it, but you got away, and that isn’t your life even if Jessica wants you to believe that it is.” “You haven’t seen me when I just . . . when I lose it.” “No, but I know you,” I said firmly.”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“I rested my head on his stomach and looked up into his dark eyes, and an overwhelming sense of contentment and peace flooded through me as I watched him watching me. This was it; this was my sunrise. “I see you,” he murmured roughly, and lifted his hand to trail it through my hair. I nodded, because I saw him, too. I saw his love and his happiness—matching my own—just the same as I saw his pain and his fear.”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“I think back on it and wish I would have done so many things differently. Told you differently, or just at a different time. Sooner. But nothing ever felt like the right time because I do love you.” “Do you?” he said in playful awe. “Hey, I got a ring and a pastor. Wanna get married?” “Even though I’m happy knowing you didn’t lose it, your humor isn’t appreciated right now, Dec.” But even as I said the words, a smile began covering my face. “Just needed to see you smile again.” I”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“Rorie, look at me,” he said gently, and lifted my tear-streaked face until he was looking me in the eye. “I can’t let you apologize. I tried to keep you when I knew you weren’t mine.” His voice wavered during the last few words, and his green eyes watered. “I knew during that weekend at the beach. I didn’t know what was going on between the two of you . . . but I knew. I could see it. I was so afraid of what would happen when he moved back that I tried to do everything I could to keep you before that could happen. Tried to do everything I could to keep you from pulling away and going to him. Especially to him. Jentry has girls for a night before he forgets all about them; that’s how he’d always been. I knew he would do the same to you, and I wanted to prevent that and keep you with me.” I watched him in shock as he told me everything, unsure if I was breathing or not as I realized that weeks of heartache and worry could have been avoided. “But that night . . . I’d never expected what you told me. Because even though I didn’t believe him at the time, Jentry had said on the way to the beach that he was hung up on someone he never expected to see again. And it didn’t take a lot to connect what both of you had told me and realize that it had been you all along. And when you told me where you met him—damn it, Rorie, do you realize that I nearly walked in on the two of you that night? I never took you back to the frat house, but I didn’t realize that you’d already been in my room.” I dropped my face into my hands as that night came flooding back when Jentry went to talk to someone at the door, and mortification set in. “And how pissed off I’d already been at the thought of you looking for someone, only to realize that it was my brother. When all of that came pouring from you and settled in, I didn’t know what to do. I was livid and sick and so damn torn up that I didn’t know how to even look at you anymore. But I knew I’d already lost you to him before I’d even met you. I hated him, I hated you, I hated myself . . . and I just had to get away from you. And then . . .” He laughed sadly and shifted on the step. I looked up at him to find him staring at me as if he’d lost everything. “And then I woke up and saw you standing there with him and didn’t understand what was going on or how I’d gotten there. But once things were explained to me, I thought I could try again. I was selfish enough to think I had a second shot at keeping you. So please do not apologize to me.” I”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“Wh-what? What did you say?” “Hearing that, hearing you admit you love him, hurts just as much now as it did the first time.” “What do you mean?” I nearly yelled in a mixture of shock, anger, and confusion. “You knew? You remember?” He took a step toward me and held his hands up as if he was going to reach for me, but I stumbled away from him as Jentry hurried into the kitchen. Declan didn’t spare a glance for him, just moved one of his hands in Jentry’s direction as if silently asking him not to speak, then admitted hesitantly, “Yes, I remember that. I remembered when I woke up because it felt like just seconds after.” Jentry looked at me questioningly. “Declan already knew about us,” I choked out. “He knew when he woke up.” Jentry tensed and slowly looked over at him. “Dec, how could—do you . . . do you have any idea how much she has agonized over telling you again? And this whole time you’ve just been—Christ, you’ve just been pretending not to remember? And for what?” Declan’s head dropped and shook slowly as he spoke, but he still wouldn’t face Jentry. “Man, you’ve already taken her from me,” he growled in a low tone. “The least you could do is give me some fucking time alone with her.” “The least you could do is give me some time to come to terms with the fact that you used your coma to your advantage and have let me believe that you thought we were engaged,” I seethed. “Do you know how sick that is, Declan?” Without waiting for his response, I turned and walked from the house. The”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“Where did you find those? They’re beautiful.” His face fell, and for a while he didn’t respond to me. It wasn’t until we were in the car on the way to the hospital that he finally murmured, “One of the guys on Dad’s crew helped me make them.” I turned quickly in my seat to look at him, and stared blankly for a few seconds. “You made those. The bookshelves.” Jentry nodded slowly. “I used to work for my dad when I was in high school. Dec did, too. He could have built shelves if you’d asked him to. Declan only deals with the business side now and hasn’t done any of the manual stuff since we graduated from high school. Neither had I, which is why I had help.” “Jentry . . . thank you.” I didn’t know what else to say. I wanted to go over every detail of the shelves, but couldn’t seem to figure out how to now that I knew that Jentry had done all of that for me. “Just, thank you.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “You needed shelves so your books wouldn’t just stay boxed up in the closet.” “But those . . .” I trailed off and shook my head. “Those were exactly what I described, and they’re—”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“Keeping you forever, Aurora.” His lips brushed against mine once, twice . . . “Need you to fucking breathe.” I”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“You understand what you’re doing?” I couldn’t help a brief smile. “I’ve known from the beginning.” “Then you know what this means.” He leaned forward to pass his lips across the base of my neck, and a small shudder moved through my body. When I spoke, my words came out breathy and soft. “It means you’ll stop trying to make me leave.” A laugh rumbled in his chest. “I swore if I ever got another chance, I would never let you go. We do this, I’m not letting you go for anything.” Another”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“I told you I had anger problems before. Because of what she said, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t turn into my father, that I wouldn’t be a violent person. But it’s there, deep down, always burning and building, just waiting to snap.” “Because you’re afraid of it!” “Ask Declan,” he said uneasily, and his dark eyes met mine for a moment. “Ask him what it’s like to watch me snap, because he is one of two people who have been on the wrong end of it.” His admission surprised me, and I wondered what they had been fighting over in the first place, but I let it go when he continued talking. “I vowed to myself that I would protect people instead of hurt them. That’s why I became a Marine. That’s why I plan to go through the academy to be a police officer. But the smallest thing could still set me off. Do you know what it feels like to constantly have anger simmering in your veins?” he asked. “It’s sickening, and it’s dark. So, yes, my mother was crazy, but she was right. It wasn’t until one night at a party with the most beautiful girl I have ever seen that I realized that, and finally understood what she meant. Because this anger inside? It’s dark. And you, Aurora? You’re good and you’re light, and I knew that from the moment I saw you; just like I knew what would happen if I was allowed to touch you.” Like he had that first night a year ago, he pressed his hand to my chest and whispered, “My dark would stain your good . . . but I couldn’t walk away from you.” I placed my hand over his, and said, “You’re more afraid of your anger than I ever could be, even knowing what I do now.” Jentry looked like he was going to disagree, so I pressed harder against his hand and spoke over him. “Do you see me?” His eyes searched mine. “I’ve always seen you.” I released his hand to place mine on his chest, and whispered, “Just as I have always seen you. Nothing about what you told me has changed anything.” The”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“As much as it kills me—and it fucking kills me, Aurora,” he said through gritted teeth, “I know this is what’s best for you. Declan can give you what you need. A life with a guy like me isn’t what you deserve.” “Why?”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“I stood to leave, and after gently removing my hand from Declan’s, brushed the tips of my fingers over his arm. “I’ll be back,” I assured him as I turned, but stopped abruptly at his confused tone. “I apparently missed a few weeks, but what else did I miss that you’re just gonna leave without kissing me?” My wide eyes snapped up to Jentry’s, but he gave nothing away with his expression. After a few seconds, he looked over my head toward Declan, then turned and walked out of the room. I turned back to Declan, and guilt ate at me when I met his clear green eyes as I approached him and placed my hand against his warm cheek. “There is so much we have to talk about, and I swear we’ll go through all of it the next time I’m here.” I pressed my lips to his forehead and whispered, “I’m so glad you came back.” Before he could respond, I turned and left the room. I”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“Jentry, what you said back at the hospital—” “You didn’t understand why I wanted you—” “I do,” I disagreed, cutting him off. “I do. You want me to be sure I’m making the right choice. There’s been the time of having you gone, and then time thinking we were all going to lose Declan, and throughout both of those, I was choosing someone. But from day one, it was never a choice with you, it was a need.” My cheeks burned even hotter. “There is nothing without you, Jentry. You told me yesterday that you fell in love with me that first night; is it so impossible to believe that I did the same?” I could tell from his expression that he wanted my words to be true. “But Declan—” “—would never be you. On paper, he’s perfect for me, but I still tried to force him to be you nearly every day of our relationship. In nearly a year, I have never felt for him a fraction of what I feel for you.” I placed my hand on his cheek and said, “For a time, things are going to be about Declan. They have to, even more now that he’s awake, and I know you know that and agree with it. Nothing can be about us right now, and like I told you yesterday, being close to you physically makes remembering that too difficult, but don’t for one second think that I will ever stop needing, wanting, or choosing you.”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“I don’t know how much time you’ll have now that you’re going to be working . . .” I listened as his footsteps approached where I was standing. “But I noticed you were almost done with that book you’ve been reading, and I wanted to make sure you had something for the mornings.” I turned, my face was already pinched in confusion, but quickly morphed into excitement when he held out the next two, and final, books in the series I was reading. “Jentry,” I whispered in amazement as I stepped forward to take the books from him. “Thank you. Wait—how did you know?” He gave me an amused look. “You’ve been reading that book since I got home.” “Right, no, that’s not what I—” I shook my head and exhaled quickly as I tried to steady my thoughts. “But you’ve seen my boxes of books. How did you know that I didn’t already have these?” Jentry just watched me for a few moments, then lifted an eyebrow in response. At that look, my eyes narrowed in suspicion. “I understand you are always taking in your surroundings and don’t miss much—if anything—but those books are in my closet,” I reminded him. He didn’t falter. “Good to know,” I whispered mostly to myself, then studied the books in my hands again. “Thank you, Jentry. This is—this is incredibly sweet of you, even if I do find it creepy that you’ve probably searched my closet and drawers.” “I wouldn’t go that far,” he said with a short laugh,”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“I was watching Declan watch me with a blank expression. For a while, I wondered if he didn’t know who I was at all, but after a few minutes of staring at me, he turned his hand over, palm up. I stepped closer and slid my hand into his, and marveled again when his fingers immediately curled around mine. “Hey, Dec,” I said softly. “Glad you found your way back.” He didn’t speak—I wasn’t sure if he even could—just continued to watch me blankly. His family spoke to him around us, but he never looked away from me or acknowledged in any way that there was anyone else there. I looked uneasily up at Jentry, and his dark eyes glanced over to me for a second before darting back to Declan. I followed his line of sight when Dec tapped on my finger, and smiled down at him. “What is it, Dec?” His face pinched in pain as he worked his throat a few times, and I heard his mom and sisters gasp in surprise when he spoke. “Ring.” My eyes widened and mouth fell open in amazement at hearing his voice. “What?” “Where’s your ring?” he croaked. I glanced down to look at the finger he’d been tapping on, and his question finally made sense. Sort of. I stared at the third finger of my left hand for long seconds, and looked at Jentry again to see him watching us in confusion and horror as he caught on to what Declan was asking, and what he thought. “We’re engaged,” Declan said roughly, slowly. “Aren’t we?”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“Aurora, I love you. You can’t expect me to see you hurt and not do something about it. You hurt, I hurt.” A”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“You forget that she’s your mom . . . she’s Declan’s mom. You forget what we’re going through.” Jentry suddenly ate up the distance between us in long strides, and captured my face in his hands, holding me as if I were breakable. My breath escaped me, and my hands automatically clung to his forearms to keep myself standing. “I haven’t forgotten, but it doesn’t fucking excuse what she’s said,” he said. Hard and soft. Always. His piercing black eyes roamed my face and fell across my lips over and over again. Even though I knew I should pull away, even though Declan was lying just a few feet away from us, I was silently pleading with him to press his mouth to mine. “You are beautiful, Aurora,” Jentry said. Just like it did every time he said it, something stirred in me listening to his deep voice say my name. The way it rolled off his tongue like a caress, and each time a breath softer than the rest of his words, made me crave to hear it again. “There is no part of you that isn’t beautiful. Don’t ever let anyone make you think otherwise—especially Linda Veil. Do you understand?” I hesitated, then nodded slowly, still trapped in the haze that his eyes always put me in. “Beautiful Aurora,” he whispered, as if to himself, then slowly stepped away from me. Then, as if he was unable to stop himself, he reached back out and cupped his hand around the base of my neck. In a move too quick to stop—not that I would have tried—he pressed his mouth to my jaw, then turned and left.”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“What did you say?” Jentry said in low, terrifying tone from somewhere behind me. The edge in his voice was enough to make Linda and me stiffen for a few seconds before Linda’s head snapped up and she turned on her mom charm. “Oh, you know how ladies are, always standing around gossipin’. Go on now, son, just put the food anywhere.” He set the large dishes down on the counter closest to the door, then took slow steps toward us. “What the fuck did you just say,” he demanded again; this time it was no longer a question. “Jentry, don’t,” I pleaded as he neared us. “Young man!” Linda said in a horrified tone. “I am so very disappointed in what has come out of your mouth this weekend. I raised yo—” “Raised me better? Is that what you were going to say?” Jentry huffed as he took the last few steps to place himself between us. “Really, don’t,” I said through clenched teeth, and rocked forward so I could reach for his arm to pull him away, but he held a hand out behind him to stop me. When he continued speaking, his dangerous tone was laced with disappointment. “In a few days I’ve seen more than enough from you to know that you aren’t the woman who raised me. The woman who raised me wasn’t so threatened by her son’s girlfriend that she’d pretend she wasn’t there. The woman who raised me wasn’t so heartless that she’d tear down the same girl every chance she got just because she was hurting. We’re all hurting. Rorie’s fucking hurting, too.” “She has ruined this family!” Linda seethed; her entire frame shook from her anger. Jentry took a step back toward me. His hand was still outstretched, but now looked like it was reaching for me. “You know, I’ve been going crazy trying to figure some things out since I got home, but I’m starting to put a lot together just from this conversation. The woman who raised me also taught me to respect women. And I do. I respect women who deserve it, and Rorie does. Because she loves Declan, too. She’s grieving, too. And throughout everything you’ve done, she’s never said a word. She wouldn’t tell me what you were doing even when I figured out that it was you, and when I did, she said it was deserved. What kind of woman makes a girl think she deserves the bullshit you’ve put her through?” Jentry grabbed on to my forearm and pulled me close to him as he took another step back, away from Linda, toward the door leading out of the kitchen area. Linda watched our movements with a mixture of emotions. There was shock and hurt at Jentry’s words, but whenever her eyes flickered back in my direction, anger unlike anything I’d yet to see from her burned there. Jentry turned us around and came to a halt when we found Kurt standing just inside the doorway holding two dishes, staring at us in shock and confusion. “Do you want to tell me why you’re talking to your mother that way?” he asked. Jentry’s head tilted to the side. “No.” “No?” Kurt’s tone was rougher and rang with authority as Jentry began leading us out of the room. “No,” Jentry confirmed. “Because if I tell you now, I’m gonna say a lot that I’ll regret.” Jentry”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“Where have you been?” My brow furrowed as I walked around him, ignoring the way his intoxicating smell filled the room, and the way I was craving to turn around and move into his arms. I focused on plugging my phone in so it could charge, and continued to avoid his stare as I sat down. “What do you mean?” “I was getting ready to go for a run when you left this morning; that was hours ago.” I finally glanced up at him when I heard the underlying panic in his tone. “I’ve been here.” Jentry’s face fell into a mask of frustration. “No. I went running, showered, and have still been here for over an hour. When you left, I figured this was where you were coming. When I got here and you weren’t here, I tried calling you. It went straight to voice mail.” “My phone’s dead; it died on the way over here.” I wanted to ask why Jentry had taken it upon himself to know where I was at all hours of the day, but his tone and expression kept the comments from escaping. He wasn’t acting overprotective or bossy; he seemed genuinely worried and frustrated even though I was sitting right in front of him. “I didn’t know you would try to get a hold of me.” He took a steadying breath in and clenched one of his hands into a fist before letting it relax. “Jentry, what is wrong? I’m right here. I’ve been at the hospital this whole time. I do this almost every morning. I was in the parking lot reading on my car. I read and watch the sun rise.” “What’s wrong is that my brother is lying on that fucking bed in a coma. The last time I called someone I love and it went straight to voice mail, he’d gone for a drive and ended up here.” He blew out an exaggerated breath and scrubbed his hands over his face. When he spoke again, he sounded exhausted. “I just thought you would have been here. I couldn’t think of anywhere else you would have gone that early in the morning. When you weren’t here—when your phone . . .” “I’m sorry,” I whispered, and stood to walk over to him. I hadn’t even thought of doing it. I hadn’t thought of moving toward him, into his arms. I was just there suddenly with my head pressed against chest and his arms wrapped around me, in a place I fit perfectly. “I’m right here.” His chest moved with a silent laugh, and a weighted sigh left his lips. “I see that.”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“Are we not going to talk about this?” Jentry asked. I let out a huff that sounded more like a scoff, and kept walking in the direction of my room. “Aurora.” He grabbed for my arm, but I jerked it away. “Aurora, stop!” I whirled around when he finally grasped my hand, but managed to yank it away again when my apparent anger shocked him. “What exactly do you want to talk about?” I asked. “The fuck, Aurora?” “Do you want to talk about the fact that Declan’s moving? Or maybe about who the hell you had in my apartment this afternoon?” Jentry’s expression fell, his body stilled. “You saw her?” I laughed, but there was no humor behind it. “Another one of your girls?” I asked, bringing up our conversation from the beach all those weeks ago, and hated that my voice shook. “But it’s not a game though, right?” “No, Aurora—” “Who was that?” I demanded. He took a step toward me, but I backed away and put my hands up, as if I could ever stop him. “Wait, no. Let me guess. Jessica?” Jentry no longer looked sick that I’d found out; he looked terrifying. “What did she say to you?” His voice was deep and severe, and matched his expression. “What does it matter? You’ve been lying to me!” I yelled, ignoring the chill that crept through my body from his voice. “You made me believe—you told me—it doesn’t even matter!” I pointed at him, and then myself as I continued to yell, “We are not together, and thank God for that after what I saw earlier. Screw whoever you want, Jentry, but don’t tell me to stay somewhere so you can bring some girl back to my apartment. Find your own place if that’s what you want.” “Screw her? That’s not—fucking listen to me!” he begged when I turned and hurried to my room. “Auror—” “I don’t want to talk right now.” I gasped in surprise when he gripped my hand in his and yanked me back to where he was. “I do,” he countered huskily.”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“I think a person can love two people at the same time, to an extent. I think a heart can be in love with someone, and love another.” When Taylor’s face remained the same, I cleared my throat and laid my hands flat on the table so I could focus on them instead. “I’m not in love with Declan; I never was,” I said just above a whisper. “I fell for him, and then grew to love him.” She”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“Rorie, he told you he was in love with you. That he’d been in love with you. Jentry isn’t some creepy lovesick stalker. He’s intense, and from what you’ve told me, is the kind of guy who probably shies away from love.” My”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“Don’t ask me to do this,” I pleaded. “You hurt, I hurt,” he whispered. “No, I don’t—it’s because you’re—would you stop being selfless and keep fighting!” There was a brief pause from him when a few tears finally slipped free, and I dropped my stare so I wouldn’t have to look at the anguish and indecision on his face. “I see you, Aurora. You need this just as much as Dec does.” My head shook, as if the action alone could force his words away. His lips pressed against my forehead and stayed there when he spoke. “You know you have to be the one to walk away.” My”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“Every day, Aurora . . . every second, I regretted letting you walk away from me. You were supposed to be mine. So go home and think, really think, because you know that where Declan is, I’ll always be, and vice versa. And if in the end you do choose me, then I’ll be there with you to face what’s coming. If you choose him, then . . .” He trailed off and swallowed roughly. His gaze darted away to stare at the ocean, but he didn’t finish his thought. There wasn’t a need to. “I”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“I haven’t felt whole since I walked away from Jentry last year. I do love Declan, and I know he would be good to me—good for me. I know how our future would go. I’ve known how it would play out since we started dating, and it’s something that has always made me smile because I’ve loved the promise of it. It’s a safe future, a sure one. It’s the house with the white picket fence and the two and a half kids, Taylor. I could be so happy in that future, but I know now I would never be whole, which means he would never get all of me. No one has ever gotten more than a fraction of me, because like you said, I wasn’t ever that invested in them. Never really cared. Giving Jentry all of me was like deciding to wake up. Natural.” From the way Taylor’s expression cleared as I spoke, I knew she believed me. But there was still a lingering disappointment in her eyes. “Thinking of a future with Jentry hurts because it means I’ve hurt Declan. But thinking of a future with Declan—now that Jentry’s back, I don’t know how to even see one.” After a while, her head dipped in acknowledgment. The movement contradicted her words. “This isn’t okay.” “I know.” “Declan has to know.” “I know,” I whispered, my voice filled with guilt and sorrow. “But don’t hate Jentry, Taylor. He tried to stop us so many times. He has always tried to give me every chance to stop. I pushed him.” “I doubt you had to push hard,” she mumbled, and turned back toward the house. We”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“I think you’re making a mistake. I think you saw Jentry and remembered your night, and you wanted it again. I think you’ll realize soon that he’s good for a night, not for forever like Declan is.” My”
― Molly McAdams, I See You

“You can’t love two people at once, Rorie.” My”
― Molly McAdams, I See You