He beat me to the punch, though. With words that shattered my heart right there on his fucking porch.
“I can’t do this.”
His words were such a soft whisper, I thought I’d misheard him. Until he said them again with strength.
“I can’t do this, Rae.”
I paused. “Do what?”
He looked away. “Us.”
“What?”
“This.”
“Excuse me?”
“I need you to leave.”
I looked up at him, hoping this was all a dream. “You can’t be serious right now. You need help. You need a—”
His head whipped around to mine. “I need you to leave. Now.”
“Clint, I—”
“I. Said. Leave!”
And as the roar of his voice filled the space around me, wrapping me up in the greatest nightmare of my life, he took a step toward me. His fists were balled up at his sides. I felt someone yank me away from him, and I stumbled down the stairs. Cecilia cried as she sat by his father’s unconscious body. Blood poured down Clint’s face as he stared at me with lightning in his eyes. I wanted to reach out for him. I wanted to press my lips to his ear. I wanted t
o whisper to him how much I loved him, and reassure him I wasn’t going anywhere.
I hadn’t prepared for him wanting me to leave, though.
And I had no words for the true desire of his heart.
* * *