Page 21 of You Are My Every Reason

“Prowling around?” Teddy laughs. “Doesn’t he normally just stick in the back?”

“I don’t know. I’ve only been to a few, and Rich isn’t too chatty about the fights.”

“He’s not chatty about anything.” Teddy adds.

“He talks a lot,” I say before I can think better of it. Well he does to me, anyway. I swear he would probably talk more if I opened up.

“It’s cute how you’re also defensive of him.” Teddy says.

“Only speaking the truth.”

“It’s not a bad thing.” Teddy turns in her seat to face me. “It’s good. People are defensive of the people they love.”

“Sit properly.” West reaches over and presses Teddy’s shoulder to make her sit correctly in her seat. “It’s not safe for you to be leaning that way,” he adds when she shakes her head at him. I can’t help but notice how attentive he is to her. Always fussing over her and making sure she’s okay. It’s very endearing and shows just how much he loves her. It reminds me of how Rich treats me. I mean, not that he loves me or anything.

“She’s right. It is a good thing, and soon you’ll see we all love Rich, and when you all love each other, that means you get to pick on each other.” Willa’s expression is dead serious.

“She’s right,” Teddy adds. “It can be the funnest part. It’s all in good fun.”

“It’s all a family loving each other,” Willa tacks on.

They are right when I look at it from that perspective. They aren’t the family I grew up with. And I do love watching all of them banter back and forth.

“Oh.” I point at Willa’s screen when I see Rich.

“It’s a video someone posted.” Willa clicks the play button. You can't hear the conversation between Rich and a pretty blonde in a short dress and heels. My breath hitches when she reaches out to touch him. Rich quickly grabs her wrist. Then the video cuts off.

“Send it to me,” Teddy says. A second later, her phone dings. “Isn’t that Cassie?”

“I think so. She was older than us, right?”

“Yeah, but on an island, it’s hard not to know everyone.” Teddy shrugs. “But I will say she was a bitch, and it seems she hasn’t learned not to touch what doesn’t belong to her.”

“No shaming, but the girl does love to touch everything.” Willa says.

“Oh, I’ll shame.” Teddy sits up straighter. “I’ll only do it when someone goes after a man they know is taken.”

“No one knows about me,” I point out. As much as I don’t care to see this girl trying to touch Rich, she might not know.

“Maybe so, but that’s her MO, and I know it for a fact. Besides, everyone knows not to touch Rich. He hates that shit. It took years for me to get him to be okay with some hugs,” Teddy adds.

“Teddy’s a big hugger.” Willa nods quickly in agreement.

“Maybe you should stop hugging people,” West is quick to add. The girls ignore him.

"I remember Cassie having a thing for Rich even back in school. Girls like her aren't accustomed to receiving rejection, and when they do, it only intensifies their desire to have the thing or person they can’t get."

I try to take in what Willa and Teddy are both saying. There is no need for me to be upset, but I can’t help the swirl of emotions that fills me. He did stop her from touching him.

“Oh,” I breathe out when West pulls down a long driveway. Fenced metal gates are open for people to come and go, but there are two men in all black standing near them.

“Those are some of my husband’s men.” Willa reaches over and takes my hand. “You’re safe with us. All these men know who to protect.” I nod. I believe what she is saying, but I will feel a million times better when I see Rich.

My attention shifts to the ocean, focusing on when the lighthouse shines on it. The memory of what the lighthouse meant to me the night I escaped from my dad’s boat flashes through my mind: freedom. But also anxiety and fear and a mix of other emotions. I push them down and remind myself that I’m safe. I’m surrounded by good people that support me. I should have expected coming back here would conjure up all sorts of emotions in me. I just need to see Rich, and then I know I will settle.

There are a bunch of boats out there, but I can’t make them out, and there had been many that night too. I have tried to think back to the day and see if I had overheard anything about them going to the fights, but I haven’t been able to recall much.

West pulls around to the back of the warehouses to let Willa and me out. Teddy is going to park with him and they’ll walk in together. When I step out of the SUV, it feels like a million years since I was last here. So much of my life has changed.

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