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The rain beats down on my truck as I stare at Ember’s front door. My mind is on one thing- getting to her. Since we pulled into town last night, every cell in my body has been screaming to pound on their door until they let me in. But Max and Finn stopped me.
How could I be so stupid? She begged me to talk to her, and I pushed her aside as if she didn’t matter to me. In reality, she’s all that matters. My fucking pride and need for space… What a joke.
As soon as I walked into my place, the hair on the back of my neck stood. There was no evidence of Ember anywhere. She even washed my sheets, removing the scent of her from my pillows. There was no way I was sleeping, so I drove over here and sat in her parking lot, waiting for daylight. It’s been long enough.
I run through the downpour to her porch. My knock is soft, but the light overhead comes on and the locks click.
What I see stops my heart and shatters it into a million pieces. My beautiful Ember looks at me with wide eyes and an open mouth. But this is not my Ember. She’s a piece of the girl I left in bed two weeks ago. Her face is pale and hollow, no color to her skin at all. She’s lost weight, so much weight it’s scary. My shirt swallows her small body. Her hair is braided to
the side, lackluster, with no shine at all.
My knees wobble, forcing me to lean against the door jam to stay upright. She steps back in fear.
“R-R-Robbie?” she stammers hesitantly.
“Jesus fucking Christ. Are you okay?”
She starts to nod but stops and shakes her head violently. She reaches out to touch my arm, catching herself and withdrawing quickly. Then it happens; the most ear-piercing scream I’ve ever heard escapes from her mouth. She starts to sink, but I catch her in my arms, slamming the door with my foot. We both fall to the floor, and I roll so she’s forced to sit in my lap.
My body shakes along with hers, but for different reasons. Her cries are loud and desperate, fueling my self-hatred. Before I can comfort her, I’m yanked from the floor, forcing her to the side.
Alex catches me off guard, and pain radiates through my jaw with his first two punches. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth when my lip splits. Finally, I comprehend what’s happening and throw a punch to his torso, connecting with his ribs. He doubles over and tries to rush me, but I catch him and take him to the floor.
“Stop! Stop it!” Ember cries, Cruz holding her back.
I pin him with my knees, both of us heaving. He pushes free, then jumps to his feet, glaring at me. “You have a lot of fucking nerve.” He walks to Ember and sandwiches her between himself and Cruz.
My mind goes crazy, watching the two men hold her as she cries.
“She hasn’t cried since the day in the police station. She’s shed a few tears but never let herself cry. I’ve felt her tremble every night, her body trying to let it out, but she refuses. Her screams filled the house, and I knew you were finally here,” Alex practically spits.
“I’m okay.” Ember’s low voice fills the room as she finally looks at me. It’s nothing short of gut-wrenching.
She steps away from them and walks to the stairs. “I need a few minutes.”
We all watch her go upstairs, and Cruz passes me on the floor without a word. Alex grumbles and follows.
I rub my jaw and wait for her to come back down. After ten minutes, she’s still upstairs and the impulse to go to her is strong. But, obviously, I need to get answers and mend fences.
“What the hell happened to her?” I rage, walking into the kitchen.
“You crushed her,” Cruz answers, pouring coffee. I’m surprised when he hands me a cup.
“I was gone for two weeks. She knew why.”
“Did she? You think after all she went through that she didn’t blame herself every day?”
“Cruz, we take some of the fault,” Alex interjects.
The look between the two of them can only be described as hostile.
“Why?”
When they tell me that everyone turned on her, trying to deal with their own madness, I lose it. To know that even Thad held a grudge guts me to the core.
“Y’all are her fucking family. How dare you?”
“Calling a spade a spade?” Cruz challenges me.
