Page 103 of After You Returned

“Which kind of proves I’m not running away, doesn’t it?” He doesn’t wait for me to respond before opening the door and walking out.

My heart shatters as I watch him leave. What the hell am I doing? Why am I pushing him away? I really screwed up this time. I rush to the door but he’s already driving away.

What did I do? I was so worried about Miles leaving me that I pushed him away.

But instead of ending us, he asked for time to cool down. Miles is not the boy who threw me away years ago. He’s a man trying to prove how much he cares for me. And I keep on making him jump higher fences.

No more. It’s my turn to make the jump.

Chapter 34

I don’t need the Raider brothers to cheer me up. I need Hazel.

Miles

Eli parks his massive SUV at the entrance to the boardwalk and all of us Raider brothers pile out.

“Can we skip whatever this is? I’m not in the mood.”

I’m not in the mood for anything. I’ve barely heard from Hazel since I stormed out of my house three days ago. She hasn’t answered any of my calls. And her only response to my numerous messages was,I need to think. I’ll be in touch soon.

Needs to think? Without me? Don’t I factor into her decisions? The man she loves. But apparently doesn’t want to love. Fucking ouch.

I’m giving her what she wants –– some space to think. Too bad she doesn’t realize I’d give her anything she wants. But I never promised not to message her. I need to make certain she’s okay. It’s a living, breathing, pulsing need inside of me.

Jaxon purses his lips. “I’m not in the mood either but no one ever considers my feelings.”

Rhett throws an arm over his shoulders. “Because you’d crawl into a cave and never come out if we let you.”

“Wrong. My wife wouldn’t let me crawl into a cave. I’ve asked.”

Despite how black my mood is, I chuckle at Jaxon. He seriously would prefer to never interact with other people for the rest of his life. Even if the other people are his brothers. Blossom has tried to bring him out of his shell, but there’s a limit to how much his wife can do.

“Why do all of my brothers bitch and moan whenever we have a Raider brothers outing?” Eli asks.

Kai’s hand shoots into the air. “I don’t!”

“Me either.” Zane elbows me. “And this one usually doesn’t bitch and moan but he’s still in the wooing stage.”

Wooing stage? I’ve wooed, and I’ve wooed. I don’t know if I can woo anymore. I’m all wooed out.

Eli rubs his hands together. “Which is why we’re having a Raider brothers outing to cheer him up.”

“I don’t need cheering up.”

I need Hazel to answer my calls. I need her to admit she loves me. I need her to give this second chance a real chance. Dive in, Blaze. I promise to catch you.

Jaxon pushes his glasses up his nose as he studies me. “Even I know you’re lying.”

I give him the finger.

“Everyone, stop acting like a smuggler in love with a mermaid who rejected him,” Eli orders. “We’re here to have fun.”

“And take Miles’s mind off how he ruined his second chance with Hazel,” Zane adds.

I snarl at him. “I didn’t ruin anything.”

Did I storm off? Yes. But I made it clear to Hazel that we’re not over. I didn’t destroy us in a fit of rage. Which is what I feared would happen if I stayed.