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“Ellie,” he said my name calmly, but I didn’t listen. I let my emotions out through my fists. Pain lashed up my arms but I ignored it. He kept saying my name and trying to settle me down, but I couldn’t stop.
Suddenly, his hands caught my fists, pinning them against his chest as he pushed me back against the brick wall of the alley. Not hard, but enough to snap me out of it.
I blinked up at him through tears. “You were right,” I whimpered, my body sagging against the wall.
Ty brushed back the hair that had fallen over my face. I didn’t pull away from his touch, not this time. “Right about what?” he asked.
My lips wobbled against another sob. I breathed in deep through my nose, my chest shuddering.
“As much as I hate you,” I said, my voice nothing more than a whisper in the darkness. “It’s not as much as I hate myself.” The truth of those words weighed on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
Ty didn’t hesitate before wrapping his arms around me. I buried my face in his chest and he smelled like…home.
“I’m sorry.” His chest rumbled with his words. “It’s my fault. I never should’ve left you.”
Another sob escaped and I tried to push away from him, but he wouldn’t let me go. I lifted my head, looking into his eyes. “That’s just it,” I said, my face crumpling with the emotions I couldn’t hold in. “I’ve been so lost without you. You were always the person I trusted to be there when I needed you. You were my—my strength. My protector. And when you left, I fell apart and I hate that. I hate that I couldn’t be strong. I hate that I’m so damn weak. It’s pitiful.”
My words were sharp and filled with loathing. It was true, though. I hadn’t known what to do when he left. Everything had started to fall apart quickly and I couldn’t handle it.
Ty grabbed my face in his hands. He ducked his head as his stare bore into mine. He stepped even closer, the warmth of his body cocooned me. “Ellie,” he said, sweeping away my tears with his thumbs. “I know what weak is, and you are far from it.”
I tried to shake my head, but he held it firm between his hands. “If either of us is weak, it’s me. Life hasn’t been kind to you, especially the past few years, and I’m so, so sorry for that. You are nothing but strength, Ellie. You are brave and beautiful and I admire so much of what you’ve done despite all of the shit you’ve dealt with.”
His words hit me like a tidal wave, dowsing my fury and hate in one smooth motion. My mouth opened, but no words came out. Ty always had the right words. He always knew what to do and what to say.
“Do you understand me?” he asked, pressing his forehead against mine. “I am in awe of you, of your strength. It’s there, right within you, you just have to believe in it.”
God, he knew how to melt me. I let out a shaky breath, leaning into him and closing my eyes. My arms wrapped around his waist as we stood with our foreheads pressed together. Our breaths mingled as I tried to collect myself.
We hadn’t been this close in so long and I savored it. It was easy being close to Ty. He knew me, no matter how much I had changed. No matter how much I wanted to deny it.
Ty sighed. His breath was hot against my skin as he continued to brush his thumbs over my cheekbones in slow, fluid movements. “Even when you’re sad, I think you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
My eyes fluttered open, taking in his lazy half grin and his bright, hazel eyes. As I stared at him, something happened. It was as if the ground beneath my feet had tilted, like the world shifted on its axis. I wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol running through my veins, but suddenly my blood heated. It wasn’t with anger, either. It was something…more.
My skin prickled as I was suddenly very aware of every part of my body that was touching his. I swallowed hard as my eyes flicked to his lips. I’d seen them before, but I’d never really looked at them. They were nice lips; the bottom slightly fuller than the top. I glanced back up and his gaze darkened. His chest rose and fell rapidly with heavy breaths.
I leaned in until our noses touched. My pulse hammered through my veins, warning me of something, but I didn’t care. The only thing I cared about was him. I sucked in air, my parted lips dangerously close to his—
“Tyson?” A small, but feminine voice broke whatever was happening between us. I wretched away from him, stumbling back until I wasn’t touching him at all.
My gaze flew to the entrance of the alley where a girl stood, staring at us with wide eyes. It was the girl Ty had been talking with earlier. My heated face reddened even more.
Ty cleared his throat, but I couldn’t look at him. What the hell had just happened between us?
“Hey, Clara, can you give us just a minute?”
I stared at the girl again, squinting. I didn’t know how I hadn’t recognized her earlier as the PTA who worked with my father.
Clara nodded, her gaze bouncing between Ty and me. Mortification crashed over me as she hesitantly turned away.
“Ellie,” Ty said my name, but I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t. Instead, I pushed past him and ran away from the small dark alley and his warm, comforting words.
I ran away from him, just like he had run away from me.
