“Trust me when I say I’d rather carve out my own heart than break hers,” I continue. “I’ve loved your sister since we were asshole teenagers running around with mullet haircuts, and I’ll love her for as long as she lets me.”
Reed stops wriggling. I loosen my grip on him, eyeing my best friend as I release him.
Reed propels me backward off of him, and I catch myself on my wrists. The unrelenting pain in my side makes my entire body shudder. My shirt is soaked with blood.
Even so, I grapple onto whatever adrenaline is left within me.
Because the pain I feel beneath Reed’s furious gaze is worse than any wound could ever be.
“You’re my family, Reed,” I force out. “Shit, after everything that we’ve been through together? Every night we stayed up when I didn’t want to sleep because I couldn’t handle my nightmares? Every time you rescued me from home and took me into yours?” My heart is heavy as I watch his eyes soften. “Goddammit, Reed. I just beat the life out of someone for her, and you don’t think you can trust me?”
Reed’s gaze flickers to the lifeless body just feet away, and then his eyes are back on me.
He still doesn’t speak, and I feel my resolve weakening.
“I can’t lose you,” I say in a thick voice. “But I can’t lose her either.”
It’s a plea.
An outrightbegfor him to understand.
Maybe not for him to approve, because I know I’ve hurt him. I know it’s a wound I’ll have to mend with time.
Noise becomes an echo around us as I wait for him to speak.
To say anything.
Hands wrap around my arms and pull them behind my back. I’m brought to my knees, and I know the blue lights that had been closing in on us are finally there.
Andi and Bonnie are screaming. People around us are shouting. I don’t know what they’re saying.
I’m still waiting for Reed to speak.
Cold handcuffs enclose around my wrists. I’m hauled to my feet.
“Reed…”
Reed’s gaze moves from me to over my shoulder, and he rises in a frantic motion.
“No—Wait. It was self-defense,” he starts to tell the cop arresting me.
“We’ll find that out,” the man replies.
There are fans running in from the parking lot to see what the commotion is all about. I can hear them shouting and screaming at the calamity happening in front of them.
And I’m breaking with every ignore from Reed.
“Reed,” I try again.
Andi appears in front of me, her hands on my face despite the police trying to pull her off. She leans forward and kisses me, and my heart swells at the taste of her.
“We’ll come get you,” she swears. “We’ll meet you there. I won’t leave you. This wasn’t your fault—”
“I love you,” I tell her.
It’s just loud enough that she can hear me, and she swallows as a tear falls down her face.
“Go to the hospital,” I continue before she can reply.
