“Everly…” He takes a step toward me, and I let him. When he reaches me, I place my hand on his chest and feel the heavy beat of his heart and look up at him.
He tries to speak, but I shake my head. Reaching up, I place my broken, stinging lips to his, giving him a soft kiss. He kisses me back ever so softly as if I’m made of glass. Gunner’s never treated me this way, and it puzzles me.
I pull back. “Please don’t come back. Let me be.”
He shakes his head slowly, not liking my words.
“Please. I need… I need anything but you right now.” I know my words hurt him as much as they hurt me to say them, but I need to say them. He needs to hear that he can’t fix this. I need him gone. He’s left me before, so this time should be easier for him.
“I love you, Everly.”
I believe every single word. I’ve never felt more convinced in my life that he loves me than I do right now. But I don’t need his pity, that’s no longer enough. I step back, placing distance back between us.
“This time, Everly, I’m coming back. I’m warning you now.” He steps away from me and heads out the door. I pull the nightgown around me tighter, like it’s some sort of comfort, and walk to my wardrobe.
Maybe today I will wear something else.
Maybe today I won’t cry.
I see the back of Alec as I step down the stairs, then I see his fiancée next to him, clinging to his arm like he’s her lifeline. I manage to smile, but they wince at the sight of me.
I’ve tried my best to cover the bruises with clothing, but some I couldn’t. My face, for one. There’s nothing I can do to cover the pain that bastard inflicted on me.
“Everly, it’s so good to see you again.” Alec’s fiancée walks over and gives me a small hug before she steps back to him. I smile and he shakes his head as he walks over to me. I try to hold back the tears, but it’s no use. I can’t do it, and they start to fall. He wipes at them with his thumb before his giant arms hug me again, helping me piece myself back together. The room is quiet as we hold each other, and I pull back after a few minutes, wiping my face.
I look at my father who wraps his arm around me and pulls me into his side as Alec speaks, “I looked into it. Into him…” I shiver at the mention. “It seems he was burned. His body’s been found in the house.” My eyes go wide. “The whole house was set alight,” he finishes, looking back at me. “Gunner burned it to the ground,” Alec tells me.
Of course he did.
“That was his parents’ house, Everly. He kept it in hopes that one day he’d be able to go back there.”
I drop my head and close my eyes. Gunner loved his parents, this much I know. I have his mother’s ring to prove it. But I never knew he kept their house. And now he’s burned it down. Lost it. All because of him, and me.
“Angel, why don’t we have some lunch? You must be starving,” my father says, changing the subject. I nod, not even sure I can eat, but knowing I should. I can’t let this define me. I wasn’t raised that way and need to be a better me so I can exist again in this world without feeling like a victim.
“Do you know where my phone is?” I ask my father.
My mother hands it to me.
“Gunner gave it to me yesterday when he tried to see you.”
I clutch the phone in my hand. “He came yesterday?”
She nods. “Every day since you arrived,” she informs me.
It’s only been two days, but it’s nice to know, I guess. It’s nice to know he tried. That’s all I ever wanted him to do. And respect me as his equal, not treat me like one of his whores. A shiver racks through me at the thought as I look down at my cell. I have multiple messages and they are all from him. No one else. Sliding the phone into my pocket, I decide today isn’t the day to read them. Not right now, anyway.
Forcing myself to manage a smile, we all sit down at the table, and I learn more about Jacinta and who she is. Alec smiles as she talks, but looks over at me constantly to keep checking if I’m all right.
I don’t think I will be for a long time.
But, maybe one day, things will be okay again.
I guess that’s all I can hope for.
Alec and my father slip off into the other room to chat about business-related issues and my mother has gone to get us some more drinks. I didn’t eat much, but I did drink two glasses of wine hoping it would lull me to sleep with no nightmares tonight.