He flipped me off. So much for trying to break the tension with levity.
Fuck.
Of course I was thinking what he was thinking; I just couldn’t say it. Every cell in my body wanted to track down Cole Kane and beat him absolutely senseless. The way I was feeling right now, I could do it, too. Just like Sawyer, I was tired of being the anvil to his stupid fucking hammer.
But first and foremost, there was Hayden to think about. Anything we did to him would have repercussions in her world. I needed her safe. I needed her protected.
If something happened to her because of somethingIdid, there was no way I could live with myself.
“C’mon,” I offered. “Let’s go home. We’ll figure this whole thing out tomorrow.”
Slamming his empty onto the bar, Sawyer stormed past me in a blur of movement.
“Should’ve been yesterday,” he grunted over his shoulder.
~ 39 ~
HAYDEN
“You can’t go, Hayden,” Carter said frantically. “You can’t leave!”
The gentle hand on my arm was Sawyer’s. I yanked my elbow so quickly from his grasp that his fingers snapped.
“WATCH ME.”
I stormed into the bedroom, hoping beyond hope that none of them would stop the door from slamming shut behind me. Thankfully, they didn’t. All three of them remained in the hallway, totally at a loss of what to do.
ButIknew what had to be done.
Stupid!
Moving quickly I scrambled to pull open my dresser drawers. It was difficult, with my eyes so blurred by tears.
So fucking stupid!
It wasn’t enough that I’d inconvenienced these men or put them in danger. Now my very presence was actually destroying their lives, and even their livelihood.
“Hayden…”
A tentative voice, through the door. Carter’s maybe. Or Bodie.
“LEAVE ME ALONE.”
My arms moved in a blur, scattering my meager possessions over the surface of the bed, prepping them for packing. I had to get out of here. Not only that, I had to do it as quickly as possible, before anything else happened.
“We’re not going to let—”
“Anything happen to me!?” I shouted back. “Yeah, okay!” I laughed maniacally. “But what aboutyou?”
Cole had of course retaliated, as I knew in my heart he would. He’d fought dirty his whole life — inside the octagon and out — and I should’ve realized this situation would be no different. Thinking back, I actually had realized it. I’d just chosen to ignore it, hoping that this time, things might turn out for the best.
So much forthatlogic.
“Angel—”
“I’m NOT your angel!” I shouted back loudly, my own words causing a stab of pain to rip through my heart. “I’m the devil, remember? The devil that showed up on your doorstep; and destroyed everything you worked for, without even trying!”
New tears streamed down my cheeks, obliterating my eyesight and blurring everything in front of me. I couldn’t tell what the hell I was doing. Shit, I could barely even breathe.
