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ChapterTwenty-Nine
Derek
The sun sets.Its orange and pink rays washing over the horizon. A stillness settles over the street as I drive toward the safe house. The road is lined with houses, each more opulent than the last. Expansive lawns and grand façades filled with a tugging mixture of envy and pain.
It reminds me of daily dinners, children running, and the laughter I haven’t heard in so long. Instead of feeling soothed by their beauty, a knot of anger and longing twists in my chest.
I feel a sharp pang of envy in my chest, like a tsunami of bile surging through me. I fling open the car window, desperate for fresh air to soothe my raging emotions. I don’t understand where this is coming from. It’s uncharacteristic of me. I don’t yearn. After everything that’s happened, I’ve learned to be content with who I am and what I have.
The sound of birds and crickets chirping only serves to heighten my sorrow and longing. The sweet aroma of newly mowed grass only seems to remind me of all I’ll never be able to have. I should’ve stayed in Heartwood Lake, far away from Piper and Finn.
Back when I thought her fiancé was dead, there was hope. Now… all I want is for them to be happy, even if that means leaving them behind.
“You alright?” Finn asks, his voice laced with concern.
I shrug my shoulders and offer a faint, noncommittal sound. My eyes stay focused on the road ahead, the sun casting its golden rays on the homes I drive past.
This area reminds me of all that was taken away when Mom died, and I was sent to boarding school. The memories of the people I fell in love with who didn’t give two fucks about me and left me behind. It shouldn’t matter anymore, but the reminder that I’m never enough hits me right in the chest. For a second, I allow myself to imagine a different life, but logic dictates that I’ll never be a part of a relationship founded since the beginning of life.
After I punch the code to open the iron gate, I muster up the courage to ask, “Do you ever think about the future?”
“What do you mean?” Finn asks, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
I make my way down the driveway, my heart filled with a sense of dread. As I park the SUV, I take a deep breath and exhale slowly, trying to release all the emotions swirling inside me.
“You know, marriage, children, a big house in the burbs,” I say in an attempt to explain myself.
The car is silent, and of course I don’t wait to hear his response. I shift my gaze out the window, open the car door, and step out into the fresh evening.
As I make my way to the house, I hear Finn’s voice trailing behind me, “That’s not what I expected you to ask. I thought you liked being single.”
I grab the door handle and shoot him a glance over my shoulder. Should I explain that I didn’t start to feel this way until I met Piper? I shake my head. He doesn’t need that information. I power my way through the house, saying, “Forget about my nonsense. What’s the plan, and when are we bringing Seth on board?”
Work. I have to focus on work and not something that only creates pandemonium inside my head.
Finn shuts the door, and I hear him say, “If he survives, we need to ask ourselves if he’s trustworthy.”
I shrug. “Seth is strong enough to survive what happened to him.”
At that precise moment, I see Piper shuffling her way in on her crutches, her brow furrowed in confusion. “What happened to Seth?”
“Fuck,” Finn groans and rolls his eyes.
“Why are you here?” I ask, trying to buy time. I know Piper is the type of person who’s always looking for something to do and can’t stay put for too long.
She looks at me with fury in her eyes. “Is Seth okay?” Her voice is sharp.
Finn sighs, obviously irritated. “He’s fine.”
Her eyes narrow, and her lips press together in a thin line. “Did you come home with any bruises? Bullet holes you might be hiding?”
I flex my biceps, showing her the intricate curve of my arms. I pull up my shirt to expose my sculpted chest, revealing a few faint ridges across my pecs. I turn around and look over my shoulder meeting her gaze, offering my back for inspection. “Everything looks good, right? If you want to double-check for yourself, go ahead and touch.” I flash her a playful wink.
Her cheeks heat up, and she immediately shifts her gaze toward Finn. “So, what happened to Seth?”
“He has a concussion and a few bruises,” Finn answers with a quiet but firm voice.
Piper exhales a sigh of relief, but her concern hasn’t yet abated. “And Teddy?”
