AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How long have you known?” It was both an accusation and a question. His arm tightened around my shoulders.
“Months.”
I almost pulled away as the shock hit my already sensitive nerves.Months? He’d known Ty was back in town for months and never said a word? We saw each other all the time.
My nails dug into the skin of my knees hard enough to draw blood. My tongue burned as the words I wanted to throw at him clawed up my throat.
“He was real messed up, El,” he said, distracting my anger. “Atlas asked me to come see him because he thought I might be able to help. I couldn’t. Ty wanted nothing to do with me.”
I blinked. That didn’t sound like Ty at all. “How was he messed up?”
Knox pushed his hat farther back on his head, rubbing his temple. “I guess he’s been out of town fighting or something like that. He was hurt bad at one of those fights.”
My brows narrowed as I tried to make sense of that. When Ty left, he cut off all ties with Cypress Falls. Including his social media. I had no idea he’d been fighting. The Ty I knew wasn’t violent. Sure, he’d gotten into fights before, but he never started them.
“I don’t understand.” I shook my head.
Knox shrugged. “Hell, I don’t know, Ellie. I hadn’t spoken to him in years before Atlas begged me to come over. He hasn’t spoken to me since.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
He let out a hard sigh. “Like I said, he was messed up. I didn’t want you to see him like that and I had no idea how long he was staying anyway. I didn’t want to get your hopes up.”
I ground my teeth together. I understood his concern, but anger lit through me like a flash of lighting.
“You should’ve told me.” My voice shook. “I deserved to know he was back.”
Knox gave me a sideways glance. A knowing look flitted across his face. “What would you have done if you’d known?”
I wanted to look away but refused to. WhatwouldI have done? Gone to see him? Vowed to stay locked up in my house even more in fear that I’d run into him?
“I would’ve been prepared for something like today, that’s for damn sure.”
Knox rubbed a finger along the side of his hat. The spot had been worn down to a dark sheen. “I’m sorry.”
He meant it, and the sincerity soothed some of my anger. “Is he…staying?” I asked so quietly it was almost a whisper.
“I don’t know.”
I hugged my legs again, trying not to let the pain of those words get close to my heart. It didn’t work.
“Look, Knox, I won’t blame you if you want to be his friend again. I would never ask you not to be. But I can’t do it. If he does end up staying in Cypress Falls…” I drew in a deep breath. “I don’t want anything to do with him.”
Ty had once been my best friend. He’d been my confidant, my protector. But then he broke all of his promises and I couldn’t go through that again.
No one was going to hurt me anymore, least of all Tyson Ranes.
