However, what I want, none of it matters because she’s gone. No note or text to let us know she’s okay. Her brothers stoppedby our house but found it empty and her car gone from the driveway. The girls haven’t heard from her either and have been incessantly calling, but nothing.
Sitting on a bale of hay, I close my eyes, trying to force my lungs to breathe, but all I see is her expression when she saw Indigo. The look of hurt, like I betrayed her and proved every whisper she ever feared was true.
My stomach twists as I stand and shove the barn door open so hard it slams against the wall. I stalk outside, yanking my phone from my pocket. Indigo answers on the third ring, her voice way too fucking smug.
“I knew you’d call.”
“Don’t,” I snap, my hands clenching into fists, my jaw tight, as a red haze clouds my vision, consuming me completely. “You showed up uninvited. You kissed me without my consent, and you knew she was watching. You knew exactly what it would do if she saw. So hear me clearly, Indigo, because I won’t fucking repeat myself. I’m done with your games, with your nostalgia for what could have been. I’m done living in the past with you.”
She laughs softly, her voice like nails on a chalkboard. “You’ll regret talking to me like this.”
“No,” I bite out, my voice low and lethal. “What I regret is not having made this clear sooner. Leave this town. Get out of my life and don’t come back.”
She goes silent, and for the first time, I think maybe she finally believes me when I say we’re done. I don’t wait for her reply before I hang up.
However, taking my fury out on her doesn’t help because Monroe is still gone, and I have no idea how to get her back.
Idrive out to Beau’s place without thinking, figuring he’s probably the safest of the Bishops to come to at a time like this, and hoping maybe she’s back here since this was her home. I find his silver truck is in the driveway, the porch light on as he opens the door before I even knock.
Beau’s expression shifts from guarded to concerned the moment he sees me, his dark blonde brows furrowing as he tries to figure out why I’ve come to him.
“She’s gone,” I choke out with tears in my eyes. “Beau, she looked at me as if she didn’t know who I was anymore. She said we were a mistake.”
He exhales slowly, stepping aside to let me in. “Come in.”
“I told her I could never do something like that to her. I pushed her off, but none of it matters if she thinks—” My throat closes around the words I can’t say. “I can’t lose her, man.”
My half-brother studies me for a long moment, then crosses the counter to pour two fingers of bourbon, and hands me a glass. We look so similar it’s almost startling that no one saw it before we found out we were related. Same dark blonde hair and blue eyes. Even our mannerisms are similar as we drink the bourbon he’s poured. The liquor burns down my throat, so raw from all the screaming I’ve done.
Beau eyes me cautiously, and I realize with him, you never know what he’s going to say. He’s the most observant of the Bishop men. Calm and collected, playful with those he’s close to but reserved among everyone else. Essentially, the complete opposite of me.
“You screwed up by not shutting Indigo down the second she showed her face in Crossroads,” he says evenly. “But you didn’t betray my sister. We all know that, and that’s what matters.”
I scoff, grateful he sees it this way but annoyed by how easily he thinks this will get fixed. He knows his stubborn sister. “It won’t if she doesn’t believe it,” I say, raking my hands through my hair.
“Then make her believe it.” Beau’s tone sharpens with a protective edge. “But not with words. She doesn’t need any pretty speeches or for the rest of us to believe you. You hurt her, not with your actions but by proving to her what she’s always feared. That she needs you, worse than that she wants you by her side, in her life, as part of her family.” He pauses and takes a seat on the barstool beside the kitchen island. “Monroe has faced more heartbreak and grief than anyone ever should in their lifetime. She’s strong, tough as nails, but that doesn’t mean she doesn't ache to be cared for.”
“I never wanted to hurt her. Hell, I tried everything to get her to see how much I wanted her to be mine. I went along with the stupid idea of a fake relationship, anything to get her to trust me.”
“You’re a fucking idiot. That never works. She’s angry because the threat of losing you felt real, and it’s not something she knows how to manage. She’s always acted like she doesn't need people to take care of her, but it’s the one thing she’s never had and always wanted.”
“I was desperate, man. I wanted her, but she wouldn’t give me the time of day.” My chest feels tight as a dull ache throbs behind my eyes.
He laughs, “That sounds like Monroe. She’s been a ball-buster since she was a little girl.” Patting me on my shoulder with a heavy hand, he forces me to look up at him. Our body-type is pretty similar, but he’s got about two inches on me, so Ihave to look up slightly. “You want my sister back? You prove it. Give her time. Show her with your actions. Show up for her even when she’s too angry at herself to forgive you.”
I stare down at the bourbon in my glass, my hands still shaking. It’s all easier said than done when I have no clue where she is.
Beau rests a firm hand on my shoulder. “She’s safe. That’s all you need to know for now. I know you love her, so fight for her. Don’t let this be the moment she remembers as you letting her walk away.”
I nod, his words sinking in because he’s right. I won’t let this be the way our story ends.
He moves toward the freezer, grabbing me a bag of frozen veggies. “Take this,” he says, handing me the bag. “Your lip needs it. You're lucky he’s the one who hit you. I drive a mean right hook.”
Chapter Forty-Two
Monroe
I’ve been holed up in my childhood bedroom for almost two weeks. The girls have come and gone, keeping me company on days I’m not locked up in my room rotting away. Raven’s been a constant presence, bringing me groceries, making tea, fussing over me the way only Raven can. She’s the one with the most free time on her hands, so she’s the one responsible for babysitting, which is all this is.
