“She didn’t say anything.”
My stomach dropped into my fucking toes. When was she going to let me in? It was like she was keeping me at arm’s length. One step forward, two back. Was she trying to protect me? Shield me from the complications in her life? Or was it more than that?
“I figured she wouldn’t.” Max gave me a sympathetic smile, and I hated it. Hated that he—the half-brother who had tormented and bargained with her—seemed to have my girlfriend more figured out than I did.
“I guess they’ll find Miller a more suitable guy for her.”
Max snorted. “Un-fucking-likely. Miller is more messed up than Harleigh.”
“Watch it,” I snapped, indicating for him to change up his leading hand. But then I snagged on his other words. “What do you mean he’s more messed up than Harleigh?”
Max shrugged, landing an impressive left hook. “Some shit with his sister.”
“Miller has a sister?”
“Had.” Max said as if it was no big deal, referring to someone, a person, in the past tense.
What the fuck had happened to this kid?
“She killed herself about ten years ago.”
“Fuck.” I dropped the pad and Max stopped jabbing.
“Yeah. The Millers are very tight-lipped about it. It was a long time ago and Nate and Toby were only kids. I’ve been best friends with Toby for most of my life and he’s only ever mentioned her once.”
“That’s… I don’t know what to say.”
“Now you know why Nate took such a shine to Harleigh. He’s broken just like her.”
Just like her.
The words ripped through me, cold and hollow.
She knew, Harleigh knew. I didn’t doubt it for a second. Max was right. It was why they hung out. It was why Miller had taken her under his wing. They shared something.
Something that I could never understand.
“You okay?” Max frowned.
“Yeah, let’s call it a night.”
“Shit, Wilder, I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s all good.” I waved him off, slipping the pads off and dumping them on the pile along the mirrored wall.
“Don’t hold it against me, yeah?” He unwrapped his hands.
I studied him. He seemed genuine. But what the fuck did I know?
Just when I thought things were finally falling into place, someone always went and dropped another bomb. It was like walking across a minefield.
Relax, asshole. Harleigh loves you. She wants you.
But there would always be this thing between us. Something I couldn’t understand. Something I hadn’t been around to help her deal with. It was the single defining moment in our relationship, and I hadn’t been there.
“I need to get out of here,” I said.
“Same.” Max pulled his cell phone from his bag. “Me and Toby are meeting a couple of girls downtown.”