“Hey, you want to see him?” I tried to put a semi fake smile on, to mask the rage building inside of me.
“Yeah, you done? How is he?”
I nodded and held out my hand. “He’s good, sedated but good. Can I borrow the car? I’m gonna grab him some flowers or something.”
He wiped his eyes. “Sure. I’ll sit with him until you get back.”
I smiled. “Thanks, man. You want a coffee or anything?”
He shook his head. “I’m good. See you soon.”
I clasped my fingers around the keys to the SUV and stormed out to the parking lot.
The second I got behind the wheel, I dialed Bryce’s cell phone, which I still knew by heart. Would he still be in town? I had no idea, but if he was, I was going to interrogate the shit out of him. He picked up on the second ring.
“Called to apologize?” he answered.
I tamped down my rage. That would get me nowhere with him.
“Are you still in Flagstaff? I need to see you.” I spoke through gritted teeth and started driving to the fanciest hotel in town: the Holiday Inn. I had no idea where he was staying, but I was going to inspect every inch of his bumper.
“Really?” Surprise littered his tone. “You want to see me…?”
“Yep,” I lied. “Right now.”
He tsk-tsked. “Well, darling, I’m glad to see you are coming around to things, but we left after your little felon meathead threatened me. Let’s do dinner tomorrow night.”
I had to take three deep breaths in and out. “You left right after? Like noon? Right after the lodge?”
“Ohh, the second person to interrogate me today. What’s going on?” There was a smile in his voice, I could hear it. The police officer must have contacted him. I had to pull over to keep my shaking hands from crashing my car and joining Ethan in the hospital.
“Bryce, don’t fuck with me. I know letting go of me has been hard on you, but did you hurt Et—?”
“You made a vow, you lying bitch. I’ll fuck with you all I want. Stay away from that scumbag and I’ll be happy.” The line went dead.
I sat there in shock, staring at the screen for a full minute before screaming in frustration that I hadn’t recorded that call. Did he just admit to hurting Ethan? Ohhh, I’d kill him! Technically he said he’d fuck with me, not Ethan, but … oh my God, Bryce was beyond reason. Tears streamed down my cheeks as the desperation of my situation settled into me.
Stay away from that scumbag and I’ll be happy.
“Fuck!” I pounded the steering wheel. My streaming tears turned to full-on sobs as a scream of rage ripped from my throat and I beat my hands across my thighs.
Bryce was controlling my happiness all over again. The first man in a long time that I truly cared about had just told me he loved me, and now I was going to have to leave him to keep him safe.
It wasn’t fair.
Bryce was unhinged, but I couldn’t see a way out. If I killed him outright, I went to jail. If I stayed with Ethan, he’d end up dead. I had to…
Stay away from that scumbag and I’ll be happy.
Sobs racked my body as a panic attack set in. I’d have to leave Ethan. Move out and completely ghost him. If he thought I was doing this because of Bryce, he’d never let me go. I’d have to make it look real…
But could I? Could I leave the man I loved while he was injured and down on his luck? Was I capable of that? Even now I was aimlessly going to the blood sugar app on my phone and checking in on him.
I felt paralyzed. I didn’t know what to do, so I sat there on the side of the road until James texted me and asked me when I was coming back. He said Ethan was asking for me.
I turned the car around and parked in the hospital lot. Checking myself in the mirror, I tried to dab at my eyes and make it look like I wasn’t just crying. Walking felt like too much work at this point; my body had completely shut down at the thought of leaving Ethan in his time of need.
He’d just told me he loved me, that I was the best thing that ever happened to him. How could I leave him?
