I leaned forward on the island, pressing the heels of my palms into my eyes. There was a deep, aching exhaustion buried under all the anxiety I constantly carried because of my choices. I was tired of life tearing me apart little by little. I was tired of hiding how broken I was. I was tired of this weight.
I had to go back to the life I’d resigned myself to—I knew that—and the slow destruction I’d signed up for because the only real regret I’d have was leaving Wilde Bay, Maverick, and thewhat-ifsI couldn’t erase from my mind.
CHAPTER 62
maverick
Iwasn’t supposed to be living in the house yet, while all the little details of the sale were finalized, but the actual owners didn’t care. They hadn’t been here in decades, and I needed every minute I could get to fix it up. It had crappy running water, electricity, and heat, which was all I needed as I gutted the place to build something new.
After leaving Harley’s, I came here because I couldn’t sleep. Thankfully, I had the day off, so I could do that later. I justneeded to blow off steam to help my mind settle down. Jumping into bed with Harley hadn’t been my plan. It hadn’t been a thought when I went to talk to him. The itch of anxiety in the back of my mind wanted me to spiral, and I was determined to avoid it.
Eventually, we had to talk about everything between us. There was just no avoiding it. He lived in the city, and I lived here, moving between a borrowed room I hated and a house I’d just bought. It didn’t make sense for me to move.Did it?
I wasn’t so sure. Half my thoughts said fuck it, I could move out of Wilde Bay. The other half told me I was being irrational after what could very well be a one-night stand. I hated thinking it, but it was true. I didn’t have a clue what we were to each other.
And so I threw myself into fixing things because working with my hands always helped, even if it was just to get me out of my head. I worked through the night and past sunrise. I drank energy drinks and snacked on crappy foods, but honestly, it all made me feel better. There were worse ways to spend my time.
I only paused what I was doing for the knock on my door mid-morning. I rubbed my dirty hands on my thighs as I hurried to the door, expecting the realtor or someone of importance to be there.
Finding Aidan standing there wasn’t what I was expecting.Or wanted.
I hadn’t seen my brother since my arrest. It wasn’t like he’d tried and I’d turned him down or anything like that. He never tried. He sold me out and then disappeared from my life, like I was expendable.And to him, I was.
I blocked the door with my body while carefully reaching behind the door and picking up the baseball bat I had left there as my own personal security system.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I growled. When he opened his mouth to say something, I cut him off, “You knowwhat? I don’t fucking care. Get off my goddamn property before I call the police.”
“What?” Aidan drawled. Just the sound of his voice grated on my nerves. It took everything I had not to hit him on principle. “No hello for your big brother?”
“Fuck off.”
“I need cash.”
Why did that not surprise me?
“What happened to the money you made off of selling me out?” I demanded. If he was surprised that I knew, he didn’t show it.Fucking douchebag.
“Spent it.” Of course he did. “You know Millie?”
“Yeah, I know Millie,” I said. Everyone knew Millie Wagner. She and her husband, James, ownedThe Boathouse.You couldn’t spend a day in Wilde Bay without running into them or any one of their five kids.“What the hell did you do to Millie?”
“Nothing.” That slow, wicked grin on his face made me uncomfortable. “But I sure as hell did alotto her daughter.”
My stomach dropped. Roxy Wagner was Millie’s youngest. I knew a few of her brothers, but I didn’t know her. Granted, I didn’t make it my business to hang out with high school kids either.
“Jesus fuck! Are you kidding me, Aidan?” I snapped. “She’s a goddamn kid!”
“She’s eighteen. I checked,” Aidan said. The sick pride in his voice made me nauseous. How the fuck was I related to this asshole?
“That doesn’t make it better!” I exclaimed. “Fucking hell, you’re disgusting.Youdisgust me! Do you hear yourself? She’s a child! A goddamn child!”
His expression darkened to something dangerous—something that would’ve scared me once upon a time—but I wasn’t backing down.Not on this.
“I didn’t come here for your fucking judgment,” he shot back. “You’re the last person who gets to judge me. You’re out of jail for… what? And you’re already that rich boy’s fuck toy all over again. Talk about pathetic.”
Great. The asshole was keeping tabs on me. I didn’t need to know why, even if it bothered me.
“Get the fuck out of here, Aidan, before I call the cops.”
