I lick my lips and drop my head. “I thought you were better than this.”
His back stiffens at my barb, his movement halting for a split second before he toys with something inside the locker. It’s hard to see what it is when the door and most of his body blocks my view.
“You don’t want to talk, fine,” I reply. I can’t force him to have a conversation with me nor can I expect him to show up for me in ways others have. Eli was always a means to an end for me. A way to get out the emotions that took over every ounce of my being. But I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t mildly sting that he doesn’t look me in the eyes as he dismisses me.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to warn him the same way Finn did me about Tommy. I have no doubt he’d step on his other fighters if the opportunity arose, but…Eli is a big guy. If he can write me off without the decency of acknowledging me as more than a simple glance, then so be it.
Sebastian pushes into the back room with the remnants of a cheeky grin on his face. He notices Eli in the room with me. He doesn’t have the pleasure of knowing the role he played in my life. That he was the one who got me into The Battleground. I sure as shit don’t clue him in now.
He walks behind me and grabs the handles of the wheelchair, pulling me back toward the door. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah,” I tell him, my eyes still glued to Eli’s back. “Get me the hell out of here.”
SIXTY-ONE
VIOLET
THREE MONTHS LATER
I flickmy turn signal on, pulling into Spring Meadows. Spring is finally taking effect, the trees regrowing their leaves. The flowers in the beds around the entrance of the apartment building are beginning to blossom, too. I imagine Mom’s garden is starting to come to life as well with the warmer weather and longer days.
I make an internal note to call her sometime this week and pull into a space next to Sebastian’s Aviator. He slips out of it when I turn off my ignition, and then I see him.
Colson.
My boyfriend.
The man I don't just love but am in love with.
Putting into words how grateful I am over how well he’s doing has been hard for me. Every time I see him walking around, without that pesky sling on his arm, I think about how happy I am to have him in my life.
We took it slow those first few weeks, but our relationship has gotten increasingly better as each week passes. He wouldn’tbe moving into my apartment with me if things weren’t looking up, and my trust in him wasn’t restored.
He’s done a complete one-eighty since Janie passed away. I know it still bothers him. He has times where grief grabs hold of him, and he’s quiet for the better part of the day, but so long as he’s not running away or pushing me out of his life, I’m okay with that.
I give him space on those days and pray for the ache in his heart to hurt a little less as each one passes. Sometimes I think it works. Other times I wonder if the effort is futile, if he’ll still always feel exactly what he’s meant to.
His family has been more than supportive, his aunt having been the one to take care of him post-release from the hospital. Aside from weekly physical therapy visits for his leg, he’s all healed up, the terrible bruising that painted his face also gone.
Tommy, those Russian bodyguards he sent, and Clyde haven’t come around at all. The cops never did find the vehicle that hit him that night, but I think we’re all just thankful that Colson is happy and healthy and finally letting himself live his life.
Finn even went MIA for a bit, only popping his head around again in the last two weeks or so. Colson is still getting used to having him around, but I think it was reassuring seeing Finn put himself and his own money on the line to get him out of trouble. They have a long way to go, but creating a foundation as brothers has to start somewhere.
Climbing out of the driver’s seat, I wave to Sebastian and find Colson at the other side of Sebastian’s vehicle. He wraps me in his arms when I walk up and nuzzle my face in the crook of his neck; one of my favorite places.
“Hey, baby,” he murmurs, squeezing me with all the love in his body. “Missed you.”
“How was therapy?” Sebastian took him this afternoon because my morning schedule was overridden with classes followed by an afternoon at the daycare.
“Gave them a run for their money.”
I pull back and grin. “Just what I like to hear.”
He spins me and backs me against the car door.
“Ah man, can’t you two wait until we get upstairs?” Sebastian complains.
I grin because Colson and I are very affectionate. If we’re near each other, we’re constantly touching, kissing, grazing our hands over one another.
