Page 34 of Ashes to Ink

Ryan would help clean it up, and then he’d walk away. Find anew life…a new something. Because he couldn’t stay. He couldn’t even look atAbby.

Because he’d break.

Break more than he already was.

Chapter Nine

Abby watched Ryan walk out of Teas’dand wondered how she’d been so slow as to let that happen without sayinganything. Honestly, she’d been so stunned by it all that she was still in astate of shock and was two steps behind when it came to her reactions.

She’d let Ryan walk away.

How could she have let him walk away?

Adrienne hugged her close, and Abby leaned into her friend,needing them all more than she thought possible. Yes, she was trying to lean onothers more, but right then? She desperately needed it, even knowing that shewasn’t going to do it for long because she needed to go kick some ass.

“Thea? Can I borrow your car?” Abby would be getting her carback the next day, but she still had to rely on others to get anywhere. Whileshe was grateful for the help, she needed her own vehicle.

Thea reached into her pocket and handed over her keyswithout a word, but Dimitri put his hand on hers and handed his keys over instead.

“Take mine. Thea will need the bakery keys on hers,” hereminded them all. “And go kick his ass, Abby. We all need an ass-kicking everyonce in a while.”

“Don’t remind me,” Mace muttered, and the women nodded.

Landon came toward Abby, and she tried not to notice that hewas still shirtless. It had already been a weird day. “You’re good for him,Abby. He just needs to realize that. Kick his ass but make him talk. If hetalks, you can get through to him.”

Abby went up on her toes and kissed Landon’s cheek. “I will.And I could say the same about you.”

Landon narrowed his eyes. “One emotionally damaged man at atime, thank you.”

She rolled her eyes, knowing he wasn’t exactly kidding, butshe didn’t have time to worry about him just then. The Montgomerysand others would take care of Landon and make sure his tattoo was finished aswell as, you know, get him a shirt. The little things first.

She, on the other hand, had to deal with the man who’d justwalked out on her because he was scared. Don’t get her wrong, she’d been scaredas well, but she wasn’t about to let Ryan go. Not like this.

Not when she’d taken a chance.

She wouldn’t allow either of them to mess this up becausethey were scared. She’d already gone through enough in her life. She couldn’tlet that happen.

Abby quickly said her goodbyes and headed to Dimitri’s car,thankful that her friends were already planning to let her borrow it. Abbydidn’t know if she would have asked before everything that happened recently.She’d been so sure of herself, so used to doing everything on her own. Shemight have missed out on a lot.

But that didn’t matter now. The only thing that did wasRyan. And he wasn’t in the parking lot. He wasn’t anywhere near.

She didn’t think he would go to a bar, not after what hadjust happened with Michael, and she didn’t believe that he’d go to the jail tobail his brother out either.

No, he would go home. To his big, empty house where he couldbe all alone and stew in his own misery.

Well, fuck that.

Abby wasn’t going to let that happen.

The roads were a little slick but not too bad, and she wasgrateful that Dimitri’s car was great with the weather. She pulled into Ryan’sdriveway, right next to his car, and let out a breath. She’d been right. He washome.

She didn’t want to say that he was going to pay for leavingher like that, but it would be pretty damn close. Anger surged through herveins. She wasn’t mad at Ryan, she was angry that he’d given up. But his lifehad been dealt another blow, and he had turned around and done the same to her.

Well, that just wouldn’t stand.

She slammed the car door and made her way to Ryan’s frontdoor. She rang the doorbell, once, twice, then three times, her hands shakingas she did.

Maybe the adrenaline from what had happened at the store wasfinally wearing off and she was starting to freak out. Well, she could do thatlater. First, she needed to make sure that Ryan understood exactly what wasgoing on.