I felt alive again.
How thefuckwas I ever going to let her go? I had to, but it seemed impossible.
“Piper—”
“I don’t want to lose you, but you’re leaving, and he ... he?—”
“Love, I need you to breathe.” I pulled away to look at her, and her expression crumpled. She sobbed in my arms, and I felt her pain like it was my own.
Hell, I had my own to feel.
All I could think about washer.
We were still out in the open, and I helped her inside the room before shutting and locking the door. She clung to me like I could vanish at any moment.
She was right to think that.
Emotion hit me all at once. My chest felt like it was collapsing and breathing felt impossible. I tightened my hold on her, tears springing to my eyes as I realized I didn’t know what would happen next.
It was all over.
“Joey figured it out,” Piper said as she pulled away. “He wanted me to leave Strawberry Springs, and when I said no, he said you’d manipulated me into staying, which is ridiculous. But then he put that post up to force you out, and I ... This feels like it’s my fault. I’m so sorry.”
I blinked as I took it all in. I wasn’t sure what I felt about Joey—though, rage was the main emotion—but one thing was clear about Piper’s involvement in it.
“It’s not your fault.”
“But it is.”
“It was going to happen eventually.” I cupped her head tightly. “You know that, right? This was inevitable.”
“But by my friend? Someone I trusted?”
“That ... that’s the worst part, I guess.”
She let out a long sigh. “I tried to stop him. I really did. I even tried to grab his phone. I touched him, and he ...” She trailed off, eyes squeezing shut.
“What didhe do?”
“He fought it. Hard. Then he pushed me and I saw it all again.” Her head fell to my chest. “I think I hate him, Theo.”
“Right now, we both do.”
“I’m sorry he told everyone.”
“And I’m sorry he hurtyou.”
She nodded, tears still streaming down her face.
“So, what’s next?”
I opened my mouth to tell her the truth we both knew. But the words got caught in my throat. Piper’s hands curled into my flannel.
“Please don’t go,” she whispered.
“Love, I have to.”
She sucked in a breath. “But I don’t want you to.”
