I can't let him see me like this. I'll break. And I cant afford to do that right now.
But it’s too late. His headlights catch me like a spotlight. His door opens. “Leo?"
I take off into the woods.
I hear Ev yell after me. "God dammit! Stop, Leo!"
But I don’t stop.
My delusional brain thought I could outrun him.Stupid football players.I feel his presence closer and closer, hear his footsteps right behind me. Then I feel his strong arms wrapping his arms around my waist.
“I got you.”
“Let me go, Ev!” I scream at him. Then regret it as my throat screams back at me. He can’t see me like this.
“Never,” he whispers in my ear and spins me in his arms. He cradles my head in his chest, and the tears come involuntarily.
He picks me up under my thighs and wraps my legs around him, and then I feel him walk us back to his truck.
He drops his tail gate and sets me on it. Standing between my legs, he grasps my face in his hands, and his palm brushes up against my burn and I wince.
His eyes flood with panic. “Did I hurt you?”
I shake my head.
“What’s going on, Leo? Talk to me.” His voice is soft, like he is trying to calm a wild animal.
My head is screaming at me to run.
“Phoenix.”
“No. Leo, we can’t go back to this.” He hangs his head in defeat, knowing that he will always respect my boundary no matter how hard he doesn’t want to. “Fuck!” he shouts as he turns from me and runs his hands through his hair. I’ve never heard him yell.
“Just tell me one thing. Tell me you weren’t running from us. From me?”
How he could ever think that breaks my heart.Probably because you literally just ran from him, Leo.I shush the pesky little voice in my head.
“No. I would never run from you. I promise. I just…I didn’t want you to see me like this.”
He comes back to stand between my legs. His hands land on my wide hips, and his gaze runs over me, trying to find the damage, but it’s dark out and most of my damage is on the inside anyway.
“Like what?”
Ignoring his question, I ask, “Can you take me to Mill’s?
“Why? It’s ten at night.”
“Ski, he…lets me stay there when…when I need to.” I can see that he wants to ask more. To know more. But he doesn’t.
“Okay, but I’m going with you.”
I just nod because I know after being with him, even just for a short time, there are some battles I can’t win—don’t want to win.
He opens my door for me, and I climb in. When he goes around to his side and opens the door, the overhead light comes on. He uses this as a chance to look at me.
His pupils dilate. His fist tightens on the steering wheel. I can see the muscles twitch in his jaw, and his nostrils flare. “What the fuck happened to your neck, Leo?” My Ev’s sweet voice is gone, replaced by a growl deep in his chest.
My body breaks out in chills. He clicks the overhead light on and runs his fingers gently over my burn, my bruises. I close my eyes and force myself not to react to the pain his touch causes.
