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The curses.
The fighting for the gun.
The deafening sound of the shot echoing around us.
My legs giving out.
Parrish?
No, my heart hadn’t exploded before because now it was breaking into a million pieces.
Parrish?
Blood mixing with the dirt, Parrish on top of Rex.
No. No, no, no, no.
“Parrish?” I managed to grit out as I crawled to him, rolling him off Rex, hoping, praying.
Red bloomed all over his white T-shirt. “Baby? Parrish.” Tears blurred my vision, visceral pain shooting off like a lightning storm inside me. I lifted his shirt, frantically checking him for wounds, just as the sound of Rex choking on blood met my ears.
“It’s not me… I’m not hit… I shot him… The gun just went off. I didn’t mean to shoot him. I just didn’t want him to hurt you.”
For me. He had done this for me.
Parrish had shot his own brother to protect me.
This was worth my going to prison before—and again. Sacrificing myself for him. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. We can tell them I did it. Maybe we can get him help.” That wouldn’t stop Parrish from having to live with this, but I damn sure wasn’t letting him get into any trouble for it.
I went to stand to go for my phone, but Parrish grabbed my arm, not letting me move. Rex was still gurgling on blood beside us, his breathing coming out in short, panting sounds. “He was going to kill you. They set all this in motion to murder you. That was their plan. He would have killed me, or hurt Betsy if he had to. He’s terrible to Becca. Those kids are better off without him.”
We were all better off without him. That’s what Parrish was saying, and I agreed. I didn’t care about Rex. That probably made me a bad man, but I’d always thought I was a bad man anyway. What I did care about was Parrish. “I don’t want this for you. I tried to protect you from our lives, and now you’re here because of me. Because of my stupid fucking decision.”
Parrish didn’t take his eyes off me when Rex choked again, making a deeper gurgling noise, spitting and choking on blood. He’d been shot in the stomach. He was dying. He would likely die regardless of what we did.
“You tried to take all my burdens as a kid. You took the burden of being a thief so I didn’t have to. You tried to protect me from drugs and all the other shit. I don’t care if he dies, and I like being the one to protect you this time. You’ve risked so much, Riv…risked yourself for me, for Rex, for Betsy, risked yourself today, going down for it all—hell, you even risked your heart when you fell in love with me. This time we risk the fall together.”
He was right. Neither of us was perfect. Some wouldn’t even call us good men, but we loved each other well. We were perfect together, and we would figure it out together. For the first time in my life, I didn’t want to be alone. Yes, I would do what I had to do to protect him. I wouldn’t let him go down for this, but our lives were better without Rex in it. Becca’s life was. Those girls’ lives were, so I couldn’t let Parrish feel guilty for what happened today. Neither of us should.
“This isn’t your fault. I’m so fucking sorry I messed up. I wasn’t going to do it. I need you to know I—”
“Shh. I don’t care, Riv. I know who you are inside, and I love you for being that man.”
“I love you too.”
Rex took what would be his last breath and went still. Maybe there should have been more remorse—maybe we were wrong for that—but I couldn’t find any for Rex inside me. Parrish? Yes. The girls? In some ways yes too because they wouldn’t have a father, but Rex would have never been the man they deserved.
Parrish gave me a small nod, and we stood up and walked away.
I took the money from the truck, set it beside Rex, right in the blood, which would spread all over it.
When I got back to Parrish, I took his mouth, tasting sweat on his skin, and his fear, and love on his tongue. Today was devastating. We would never forget it. But we would always have each other to lean on, to hold us up. We would keep each other safe. “How…”
“Becca told me where you were headed, and then I got a call from Betsy. She realized that since the two of you are on the same cell plan, she could track your location. The drugs are in Smithfield. That’s where Dad and Uncle Bill are. Becca called the cops on them. She’s been recording their phone calls.” Parrish finished telling me everything he knew. Damn. Becca was on our side. She was fighting for a better life for herself and her kids. “Hopefully they go down for the drugs.”
