“Do you want him back?”
“Yeah.” My voice comes out so small.
Colin leans back in his chair and says, “Okay, so if he doesn’t come to you, you go to him. Find him and force him to listen to you.”
My heart sinks at that advice. It’s easier said than done. He’s in an entirely different state. He didn’t even tell his brothers exactly where he was going. I’d have to search the entirety of Colorado to find him. My broken heart doesn’t have the patience for that. I want him back with me now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Now.
“We’ll see,” I mutter, feeling terribly exhausted. My spirits have been crushed, ground to dust. I’m a mess.
“Don’t give up. He’s probably just upset and needs time.”
“Yeah. I just…” my words trail off, and I sigh. “Thank you for coming by. I’m so sorry that I’ve been useless. I promise next time that I’ll be more helpful with the project.”
“No need to apologize. I get it. After my ex and I split, I didn’t move from my bed for days. I’d say you’re doing much better than me.”
I manage a small smile at that, push myself up from my chair. “Hey. Before you go, I have a book for you. Found it in the library last week. I think you’ll like it.”
I move into my bedroom and shuffle through the pile of clothes I haven’t bothered to fold. I’ll do it later when I find the energy. Right now, nothing seems to matter much.
“Where the hell are you?” I grumble, flinging a pile of clothes onto the floor.
And that’s when I hear it.
“Oh,” Colin says with surprise in his voice, “Sem. Hi. Magnus is in the bedroom. Let me go get….”
The book is forgotten. It can stay buried for eternity. I move so fast that I stub my toe on the edge of my bed. Pain shoots up my leg, but I ignore it as I skid into the living room. My eyes are wide as I take in Sem standing in the doorway. Damn, he looksgood. Worn, tired, with shadows under his eyes and a few days of stubble on his face, but so fucking sexy.
Those blue eyes move from me to Colin, and his face turns ashen. Those blue depths dim slightly.
Oh fuck.
Nonononono.
“Sem,” I breathe, moving toward him like he’s a wild animal. My hands are out, my voice calm as he just steps backward, shaking his head frantically.
“Fuck. I shouldn’t have…Fuck…I’m sorry.”
Frantically, I reach out for him, but he tucks his arm behind him. The fact that he’s evading me makes my heart palpitate in my chest.
“Don’t you fucking dare,” I grunt, reaching for him again, but he sidesteps me.
He swallows roughly. “I need to….”
He starts to move away from me, and I shout, “Don’t you dare fucking run away again!” I don’t care who hears me. I’m desperate for him to stay. We need to talk this out. I hate not being able to talk shit out. I just want him tostay.
Colin moves up behind me, and I inwardly curse him. I want him to just leave. Sem’s tortured eyes move from Colin to me, and he clears his throat as he slowly moves farther away.
“This is…. I need to…I’m sorry,” he whispers, and then he’s spinning away from me. His long legs carry him down the stairs, and I don’t even think twice about what I need to do. I just give chase.
My bare feet slap against the ground as I trip onto the blacktop of the parking lot. They’re going to be torn up after this but I don’t even care.
“Sem!” I shout, pumping my legs faster, but he’s quicker than me. I’m never going to catch him. He moves farther and farther away in the distance, and my eyes sting. My chest burns. I’m getting a fucking cramp in my side.
Goddammit.
Suddenly, my foot lands on something, and a sharp pain slices through the sole of my foot. I cry out loudly, skidding to a stop. Glancing down through wet eyes, I see blood seeping from my skin.
“Shit,” I say, lifting up my foot and seeing a piece of glass protruding from the bottom. “FUCK!”