AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Idon’t care.Youconsidered it.Youwere with them.Youwere acting in a way that gave them the impression you would.”
Hestares at me with glassy eyes. “Shae—”
Dadtold me to give him a chance, but the hurt is too raw, too fresh.Anotherwound to join the half-healed ones on my heart.
“No,Devon!Ispent five years with a man who convinced me thatIwas insignificant, worthless, not enough.Neverin my wildest dreams didIthink you, of all people, could make me feel worse about myself thanPhillipdid.Butyou gave me up without a second thought.Insteadof fighting for me, you were out on a date with a model and fucking around with groupies.And…Andyoumanipulatedme.Insteadof telling me the truth, you told me what you needed to for me to go along with you.YoumanipulatedBeauto get what you wanted in high school.Wedeserved better.Ideserve better.”
“I’mso fucking sorry,Bambi.Please, just give me a chance to—”
“DoesBeauknow you’re here?”Icut him off.
Hisface shutters. “Ihaven’t spoken to him since the fight.”
“Right.Thefight over the groupies.”
“Itwasn’t over groupies.Itwas over you.”
“Andwho won that fight?”
“Neitherof us.Iwalked away.”
“That’sthe problem,Devon.Youkeep walking away.Andthat’s not good enough for me.Idon’t want someone who gets what they want through secrets and lies and manipulations.Aman who walks away when things don’t go his way.Ideserve more than that.Iwant a love that’s honest, that holds on—that fights when things get hard.”
Hetries to grab my arm again, butIstep back. “Ineed you to leave.Itshould be easy for you.You’vehad a lot of practice recently.”
“Shae,fuck.Please, just…”
“Ican’t do this right now.I’mtoo tired—too heartsick.Go.Please.”
Hisface is white, but his eyes are blazing blue.Fora second,Ithink he’s going to ignore my wishes, but with a curt nod, he spins on his heel and walks to the door.
Myknotted shoulders sag as he turns the handle.I’mabout two seconds away from hysterical crying, but just before he walks out, he pivots back to me.
“Ilove you,Shae.Ishould have said it before now, andI’mso fucking sorry thatIdidn’t.ButIwant you to know thatI’mleaving because you need me to.BecauseIcan’t fix this right now.Thisisn’t me walking away.Don’tthink that for a single second.I’llnever walk away from you again.”
Thenhe’s gone.
Ihug myself and let the tears fall.
ChapterThirty-Three
Devon
Ishoveopen the door toCrossfire’spractice studio and stride in.Threepairs of eyes focus on me.
“Niceof you to finally join us,”Zacsays, acid dripping from every word.It’snot likeIwasn’t expecting backlash.He’sbeen blowing up my phone for the last week.EvenCassiehas called.Zacis no fool, and he didn’t get where he is by fucking around.Hemay have mellowed, but if he thinksI’mbecoming a liability,Idoubt he’ll hesitate long before cutting me from the band.Toomuch more of my self-pitying crap, andI’llbe walking on thin ice.
Ilook him in the eye. “I’mback now, andIwon’t miss anything else.”
Henarrows his gaze on me, then nods.Iturn my attention toBeau, who’s leaning back against an amp, his hands wrapped tightly around his bass as he stares me down.
“Ineed to talk to you,”Isay.
“Doyou?”Hemakes no move to get up.
Yeah,Iget that he’s pissed.IknowIscrewed up.Buthe’s being an asshole now too, andI’mnot in the mood. “Ido.Andif you give a shit aboutShae, then you’ll listen to me.”Idon’t wait for his response, just push my way out the door to the alley that runs down the side of the studio.
I’mstarting to think he’s not coming, but then the door bangs open, and he strides out.Hecomes to an abrupt halt a couple of feet from me and crosses his arms over his chest.
