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Luke
Thwapthwapthwap.“God, that was so much worse than I thought it would be.”Thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap. Mark holds the punching bag while I beat the shit out of it. I imagine my face with every hit.
“Did you think she would just shrug and sip her beer?”
Thwap thwap. “No, I… I don’t know. Fuck.”Thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap.
“You didn’t hear the sound she made after you drove away. Pretty sure it’s going to haunt all of us for the rest of our lives.”
I stop and stare at him, swallowing hard. “Gee, thanks for making me feel better.”
“I’m not here for that. I’m here to make sure you don’t do something reckless.”
Thwap thwap.“Like what?”
“Throw yourself off a bridge? I’m not sure if anyone would show up at your funeral. Maybe Brando.”
Thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap.
“How does it feel to be the world’s biggest idiot? Too bad all that money of yours can’t buy you some sense.”
I tighten my jaw and hit the bag harder. He stays quiet and I stop, my chest heaving from more than just exertion.
“What did Emilia say?”
“I haven’t told her yet.”
“Whoo boy! You really are an idiot. She’s gonna fucking murder you. Can I watch?”
I plop onto the bench and hang my head. Sweat drips down my forehead and I wipe it off with my forearm. “Sure.”
Marks sighs and crosses his arms. “I’ll stop for now. I know you’re beating yourself up enough for the both of us.”
My eyes close and I nod, leaning back on the bench.
“So, how does this work? You want updates on her or what?”
I pull off my gloves and flex my hands. “I only want to know anything related to her safety. Anything else, keep to yourself. I don’t want to know what she’s doing, any of it.”
He grunts.
“Let the guys know, too.”
He grunts again.
“I’m going to shower. We leave for LA in the morning. Be at the condo at 0700.”
He nods and I head to the locker room.
The night keeps playing on repeat in my mind. Every fiber of my being is telling me to drive back and hold her. To apologize and erase the hurt. The memory of her face covered in blood is the only thing stopping me. She’s better off hurt than dead.
I let the spray run down my body, my tears mixing with the water. I rub the spot on my chest where my blackened heart lives. Fuck, it hurts. A few sobs echo off the tiles of the empty locker room.
I step out and dry off, taking deep breaths to calm myself. I throw on a clean shirt and shorts and collapse onto the bench as my breath comes out in short bursts. There’s movement nearby and I find Brando at the end of the row of lockers.
My eyes ask the questions my mouth can’t.
“She’s asleep. She’ll be ok.”
