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“Your firm is the one handling the county’s acquisition of our property. You gave us thirty days to vacate the property. Was I your fucking local research?”
I push his chest, and he grabs the papers, looking over everything.
“Collins, I didn’t know about this.”
“Your signature is on all the paperwork! No one else’s, just yours.”
My tears are falling like a waterfall and my voice hitches at every syllable. Cracking like a whip, tearing my heart into pieces. He’s reading over every line with such confusion. I inch closer to him, cradle his face with my hands, and give him a kiss.
“You can say it. Checkmate. You played a hell of a game,” I whisper against his lips. “You win.”
Turning, tears burn down my cheeks and my heart shreds to pieces. A painful reminder of why I let no one in. Why I kept my emotions in check. Each step away from him is a piece of me I leave behind.
Victor’s screams behind me further rip my heart into a pile of dust in my chest. I want to turn and give him the comfort that I am desperately seeking, but Lawson is keeping him at bay. One look behind me and I’ll cave. I leave the restaurant and am met by my older brother, who looks panicked upon seeing me cry. People label me as a tough person, not an emotional female. I don’t do this; I don’t cry.
“Why didn’t you tell me the whole truth?” I ask him.
“I didn’t want to worry you.” Leland looks at me with so much concern.
“So, omitting things is how we do things now, huh?”
Leland puffs his chest and points toward me. “It’s my job to protect you!”
“And how is that working out for you?” Tears continue to fall as I fail to keep my composure.
“Collins …” He huffs. Regret settling into the same eyes that match mine.
I am so fed up with everything. I feel used, lied to, untrusted, and just so damn defeated. This world continues to prove that my place in this world is to be alone in my rickety, old surf shack.
“Save it. Trust, it’s what you taught us. Hiding this”—I hold the papers up — “Letting me fall in love with a man who is taking away the shop!” My hand shoots toward the restaurant where I know my other brother is keeping Victor from me.
“You love him?” Leland looks at me, surprised.
“Does it matter anymore? It was all an elaborate scheme, and I fell head over heels.” I sob. A fresh wave of hurt rolls over me. My heart is swept away at its riptide.
“Sis, I’m sorry,” Leland says. Remorse fills the crevices of his comfort.
“Yeah, me too,” I say sarcastically. Not even believing that this is my life.
I shoulder past my brother to my truck. Approaching, I hear Lawson behind me yelling at Victor to stay away from me. I turn to witness Victor closing in on me, with Lawson hot on his heels. Leland is smart to stay away. I can feel every part of me imploding.
Victor’s hands cup my cheeks, his thumbs swipe away the angry tears that keep gushing. “Please believe me! I don’t remember signing any of this stuff. I would never take away your family’s business. You love that shop. Why would I take anything away that brought you peace and a smile? I love you goddamn it!” Victor is holding my face in his hands. I have to cover my mouth to prevent the loud sobs from escaping. “Baby, please, believe me!”
“You did though! Thirty days and we are gone! Thirty days and you are free of me. You will no longer have to worry about what co-workers have to say about us. You got what you wanted. Local hookup with a story to tell, a kick-ass acquisition, and you return to being first and being the best there is. Money and status, moving up in the world with no regard for who you trample on in the process. Your acting was superb. I believed every second.” I declare.
“I wasn’t pretending, Collins. I swear.”
“I’m such a fool!” I say weeping, “The sad part is I was completely honest from the get-go.”
Victor is still holding onto my face, and I grab at his wrist. His face is so close to mine and he continues to beg. “Please! Believe I love you. I don’t know what happened, but I didn’t do this! I would never…”
“And yet you did,” I whisper to him. “Still, after all this, I still love you.”
Victor pulls me in for a kiss, and I don’t push him away. This is my kiss goodbye. When he pulls back, I remove his hands from my face by his wrist and look him in the eyes. “I love you. I wish you all the best.”
Lawson comes up and pulls him back so I can get in my truck and leave. Victor is fighting against both of my brothers, who are holding him back.
“Get the fuck off of me!” He struggles against their grip. “Collins, don’t do this! Please!”
