My eyes snag on the picture I drew today, the one of Maggie on his table, tears streaming down his face. I can’t get that image out of my fucking head. It’s etched there and I can’t erase it. I should have never gone back to his apartment, but I had to see him. To make sure he was okay.
And then I’d left him.
With Colin.
He’d been hurt and I’d let another man take care of him.
“He’s better off,” I try to reassure myself, but I don’t quite believe it. My heart is frayed and my stomach hurts. I find it hard to breathe. My vision goes hazy for a minute, and I blink rapidly, trying to regain control.
It’s futile. I’m not in control anymore.
I’m unreachable.
Not even Luke or Liam can get me out of this hell I’ve walked into.
They’ve tried. My whole family is worried about me since I showed up two days ago, parked my RV, and hunkered down like a hermit. They watch my rig warily. They’re all afraid I’m going to snap.
Too bad I already have. I’m so far past okay it should be laughable.
I need therapy for the shit crowding inside my head.
I should go back, should beg for his forgiveness. I never meant to hurt him.
Would he forgive me? Take me back?
If you leave now, it’s over.
Maybe I can watch him, just keep my eye on him like I did in the beginning. I just want to make sure he’s okay, that he’s happy.
I move to grab my keys, mumbling to myself. “What if he’s with Colin?”
The thought of it, of watching him move on with another man is…I lean over, breathing through my nose.
Doesn’t matter. Just need to see him. I’ll feel better once Isee him.
I stand up and move to leave when the door bursts open and Luke and Liam charge into the RV.
I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. I just watch them descend.
Why do they have rope?
They’re grabbing onto me without a word, the three of us grunting as they wrestle me to the ground.
“Damn, he smells,” Luke grumbles, his knee on my back. “He won’t like that. Gotta wash him first.”
What the fuck are they talking about?
I squirm and kick, but they manage to strip me down to my boxers and tie me up. My ankles are bound and so are my wrists. And when I take a swing at them, they secure my wrists to my ankles and drag me on my ass into the shower.
“What the hell,” I grunt.
“Hose him down,” Liam says breathing heavily. Luke grabs the knob and turns it on. Ice cold water hits my face and I shout, trying to move, but end up on my side.
“What the fuck,” I wheeze as the water changes rapidly to scorching hot. “Fuck, that burns.”
Luke quickly adjusts the temp and when it sits nicely at lukewarm, he grabs the showerhead and holds it over my face and hair. I sputter and spit as Liam grabs a bar of soap and begins to wash me.
“I swear to God, bro, if I ever have to do this again, you’ll owe me your firstborn,” Luke grumbles.