Somehow, my words do the trick and the room falls silent except for the few shocked gasps from hearing me swear. All eyes are on me, and normally that would cause my entire body to flush. But right now, I feel sweaty and weak, and my blush clearly isn’t responding.
I swallow the dryness in my throat and face my brother, looking him dead in the eye. “I’m done, Greyson. I’m done. You clearly won’t ever accept us together, so what’s the point in trying. Why should I keep trying to make you see how happy Shane makes me? How he’s not ruining my life but making it better? When in the end, you’ll never listen. You’ll still refuse to see what’s right in front of you. You clearly don’t want me here, so fine. We’ll go.”
I unwrap myself from Shane’s arms and take a wobbly step toward my brother, straightening my spine and holding my head high as I say my last words to him.
“But let me make one thing clear to you…brother. This is the last time I walk out of this house. You don’t want me in your life and around your family, and I’ll respect that.” A tear slips past the center of my lower lid, slowly tracking down as my heart breaks for the final time. “But know that you no longer have a place in my life either. And you’llneverhave one in my child’s.”
I can’t read the expression on his face, but I also don’t stick around to find out either. I don’t give him time to talk back, to say whatever nonsense he’ll spew next. Instead, I turn my backon him as Emma and all the other girls beg me to stay. But like I told him, I’m done.
I’m tired of fighting, this isn’t me and it isn’t the life I want for my child.
My head spins as I take a few unsteady steps away from everyone. My breathing becomes labored and my vision grows fuzzier by the second. But that doesn’t stop me.I just need to get outside. Air will do me some good.I sidestep Shane, not bothering to tell him to follow me because I know he will.
But on my next step, everything feels heavier, like moving is suddenly too hard, and my body is too weak. My hands shake violently as I reach out for something to hold onto. I hear someone call my name, but it sounds so distant. I can’t tell if it’s real or my imagination.
My hand finally connects with a flat surface, but I can’t see what it is. I can’t make it out. I squeeze my eyes shut, willing the fog to go away. But all I can hear is the pounding of my heart in my ears.
And when I try for another step, I barely get the word out before my world tips over.
“Sha…”
And everything goes black.
Chapter nineteen
Shane
Julian, the human robot.
I watch with pride as my Angel turns her back to her brother and steps away with only a single tear shed. I never wanted it to come to this. I never wanted to ruin their relationship in any way, and I really do wish they could just work it out. But I’m so proud of my girl for finally putting him in his place, for standing up to him and speaking her mind.
She’s changed so much in the short months we’ve been together, and it only makes me love her even more. She’s found this confidence in herself that makes her shine even brighter than before.
I know that confidence will slip once we get home, or maybe the second we step out of the house. She’ll most likely break down and cry for hours, if not days. But that’s okay, I’m ready for it, and I’ll be by her side the whole way through.
Despite the joy and overwhelming pride I feel inside, that isn’t what’s showing on my face. I glare at Greyson for putting his sister in this position as she steps around me on uneven feet. She’s shaken up, I can tell. And I know how deeply Aubrey feels, so after a moment like this, I’d expect her to be a bit unbalanced.
It isn’t until I turn to follow her that this sickening feeling that something’s wrong starts creeping through my veins.
I watch as her body sways to the side, I listen to her shallow breath. Her hand comes out to the side as if she’s searching for something to stabilize herself.
“Aubrey? Sweetheart?”
I take a step toward her as her hand makes contact with the kitchen island. She stops moving, shakes her head a bit and it’s then I notice the light coating of sweat at the back of her neck. Her skin even looks paler than usual. I take another step, reaching out to grab hold of her just as she begins to call my name.
But I’m too late.
The fabric of her shirt slips through my fingers as she collapses. But not before smacking her head against the corner of the counter and dropping face forward.
“AUBREY!” I quickly drop to my knees and roll her over onto me as I hold her in my arms. I quickly brush the hair out of her face that’s already tainted red from the gash above her temple. “Shit! Someone call for help!”
I cradle her to my chest as her body lies limply in my hold, not caring about the blood staining my shirt. There are a few shouts of fear and panic from the others, but my focus is fully on my Angel. Ronnie shows up at my side with a wet cloth in hand and begins to dab it at her cut. I watch Aubrey’s face for a reaction, but there’s none.
“Angel? Can you hear me, sweetheart?” I lean in and kiss her forehead then pull back. I can see her chest rise and fall slowly,so I know she’s still breathing despite her seemingly lifeless state. “You’re going to be okay, baby. We’re gonna get you to the hospital,” I whisper to her, stroking her hair.
“What’s wrong with her?” Gabriel asks, crouching down in front of me as he checks her pulse on her wrist.
“It’s the dizzy spells, isn’t it? She’s still getting them?” Emma asks with tears in her eyes. There’s a look of panic on everyone’s face, but we’re all trying to stay calm. Panicking at this moment won’t help anyone.
