Page 20 of All I Have Left

Walk away? I narrow my eyes at him. He can’t possibly beserious. If you look closely, you can see hesitation in his. He knows something I don’t, but I’m not exactly in a place where I can demand to know everything. I’ve disappeared from everyone’s lives and can’t expect to be brought back in like nothing changed. And looking at the situation now, it’s fucking changed a lot.

I snort. “You’re okay with her being with him?”

After a pause, he snaps his eyes to mine and says, “No, fuck no. But she doesn’t fucking listen to me.” And then adds, because he knows I’m not going to just back down that easily, “Let’s go. There’s no use going after her.”

I drag my eyes to where Shane’s car is leaving the parking lot. With my hands behind my head, I pace the space between the parked cars, the gravel crunching beneath my feet. I drop my hands and pinch the bridge of my nose. I blow out a steady breath, my jaw tense from clenching it so much. When I’m calm enough to make sense, I ask, “Is she really dating that guy?”

Josh and Ethan exchange a loaded glance before Ethan shrugs, burying his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “You could say that.”

I don’t like that answer.

“I wouldn’t say dating. More like being held hostage,” Frankie mutters, jumping on my back. After taking shots all night and day—probably—she’s in no shape to even be walking at this point.

But held hostage? What the fuck?

I carry her over to Ethan’s Jeep and set her on her feet. “You’re drunk.”

She taps her finger to my nose. “And you’re pretty, boy. My God, I missed that face.”

I push her away from me, not in the mood for her cheerfulness.

After buckling Frankie in the Jeep, I slide into the driver seat of my Chevy. Josh gets in with me. I assume this is their way of making sure I don’t follow Evie. Which, if I’m completelyhonest, is probably a good idea on their part. I planned on it. I was going to follow them, kidnap Evie, and drive out of town without another thought.

“Fuck, man. I’ve missed you, buddy!” Josh rocks my shoulder with a punch, obviously trying to lighten the mood, but not helping. “It’s good to see you.”

“Looks like a lot has changed in three years,” I growl, pulling out of the parking lot, a spray of gravel and dirt kicking up in a cloud.

Josh shrugs. “Causing problems will only cause more for her,” he adds. As if instantly regretting his words, he looks away.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I don’t really know much about it, but I guess it’s been an on and off thing for a while now and he won’t take no for an answer.”

I don’t like the sound of that, either. “Who is he?” Instinctively, I grip the steering wheel, preparing myself for what I know I don’t, and never wanted, to hear.

“Who’s who?” he teases, trying to play dumb.

I tighten my grip on the wheel in anger, letting out a dramatic sigh. “C’mon, man, you know who I’m fucking referring to.”

“Jesus, chill out.” He laughs.

“Nothing about this is funny, Josh.” Clearly, I’m losing all sense of composure, as if I had any to begin with. I don’t. Not when it comes to Evie. “How could you let her be around someone who treats her like that?”

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m taking it out on Josh and he doesn’t deserve it, but damn it, what the fuck? I would have never let Kelly date someone like that. Josh draws in a deep breath, his massive chest expanding with the action. His gaze finds the window. “Why do you care so much? You left,” he adds.

See what I mean?

When I left, I didn’t think about how it would affect anyone. I acted on impulse, which you will soon find out, I do a lot. Andquite frankly, selfishly at that. The fact is, I had friends—not just Evie—who were hurt I never told them my plan and why I left. On top of that, I cut off all ties with everyone, thinking it was best. It’d be one thing if I would have left for college and kept in contact, but I didn’t. I joined the Army and pretended like life outside that didn’t exist anymore. In some ways, it didn’t. I threw myself into that life, fought hard for my country, and didn’t look back. I knew if I didn’t, I’d end up back here.

Choosing to ignore his last comment, I think about who Shane Larson is. The name sounds familiar. And then it hits me who Shane is. “Shane… is he that same jackass from high school?” I seethe, putting the name with his face. “The one you played football with?”

“Yep. That’s the one.” Josh nods, refusing to look in my direction as he flips the knob on my radio and turns up the song playing.

Shane played football with Josh all through school. I want to go as far to say it was his own doing, but no one liked Shane in school. Long before the term “bullying” had been a thing, Josh, okay, all of us, had taken our shots at Shane. If you asked me, he deserved it. I get it. His mom apparently killed herself in front of him, and I’ve seen death first hand to know it fucks you up. But that guy, he’s unstable. Even as a kid. Never friendly, his aggression ruled every part of him. In the times the coach did let him play, he took out players for no reason and pretty much spent most of high school suspended. He’s the guy who always ends up being the serial killer neighbor you find out had been hiding bodies in his freezer and think to yourself, yep, saw that one coming.

I’ll tell you something else, too. Shane’s temper is worse than mine was. Senior year he was kicked off the football team for getting into too many fights with opposing teams and putting another player in the hospital with a broken back.

All over a holding play. Keeping himself composed when angry is not in his nature.

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