Page 115 of Leave

“You shouldn’t have to go through something that means putting your ra—that woman’s hands on you.”

He shuddered hard, swallowing reflexively like he might get sick right then and there.

“You shouldn’t have to grin and bear it next to—”

“What the fuck can I do?” he snapped, the sudden fury sending me back a step. “Bail?Now?” He threw up his hands. “It’s the night before my brother’s wedding—I can’t just blurt out that the maid of honor raped me!”

A heartbeat too late, I realized I’d heard the door hinges creak.

That it wasn’t just us in here anymore.

I turned toward the door, and my heart dropped into my feet.

“What the fuck did you just say?” Andrew strode across the restroom. “What thefuckdid you say aboutmy wife?”

Nolan put up his hands and took a step back. “Andrew, listen, I—”

Andrew roared with fury and decked Nolan, sending him staggering back against one of the sinks.

I grabbed Andrew’s arm and had him facedown and immobilized on the floor before either of us could blink.

“What the fuck?” he shrieked, trying and failing to get free.

Ignoring him, I looked at Nolan. “You okay?”

He was sitting up now, shaking all over with blood running from his nose. I didn’t think he even heard me—he just stared at his brother in shock and horror. “Andrew…”

“Fuck you, Nolan!” Andrew squirmed harder beneath me. “Fuck you, you fucking—”

“Hey, hey! What’s going on in here?” Matt flew into the restroom with several people on his heels. “Hey! Get off of him! What’s the matter with you?”

Before I could even move, I was being hauled up off Andrew, and I didn’t fight it.

Matt slammed me up against the tile wall. “What is wrong with you? What are you doing to my brother?”

“Stopping him from beating yourotherbrother into the ground,” I said.

He froze. “What?” Still holding me firmly against the wall, he twisted around, and he sucked in air when he saw Nolan.

I could’ve easily freed myself in that moment, but I didn’t. That would only escalate an already volatile situation.

Not that it needed help getting escalated.

“You’re damn right I was going to beat his ass!” Andrew snarled. “He was telling his boyfriend here thatmy wiferapedhim!”

“What the hell?” Matt stared at Nolan. “Did you say that? Why would you say that about your sister-in-law?”

Nolan was shakily getting to his feet. Leaning against the wall, he wiped at some of the blood on his face. To Andrew, he said, “I’m sorry. It’s true.”

Instantly, the room erupted into shouts again, and the metal and tile in the room only amplified it until the noise was deafening.

Matt released his hold on me—he was too focused on demanding to know why the hell Nolan would accuse Leann of raping him—and I stepped past him to get to Nolan.

Of course by now, everyone in the church had heard the chaos, and people came pouring into the men’s room.

“What’s going on?” Tristan asked. “What’s—holy shit! Nolan, are you okay?”

John gaped at his middle and eldest sons. “What in the world happened?”

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