Page 60 of Revived
-YSA’
These are the same flowers my Papa always— No. Oh no no no. The flowers. The ones I’ve been getting for years. They aren’t from my Papa at all. They’re fromhim.
***
I’ve just finished my last run through of my floor routine when I feel him enter the room. I don’t even have to look behind me, nor am I surprised. What I am surprised about is that he gave me this long. It’s only been a day and a half, but for a Byrne man, that may as well be twelve years. I have an hour until I have to teach my baby gymnasts.Only after that can I go back to Kenzie’s. I take a deep breath before turning to face him.
Sully stands tall in a pair of gray shorts and a navy TVFD t-shirt pulled tight over his muscles. His hair looks disheveled, and under his eyes are almost black. He looks handsome because he always looks handsome, but really he looks like death warmed up. My entire soul aches to go to him and let him wrap me up in his arms, but I use every ounce of strength I have to resist. He takes me in as his long legs eat up the space between us until he’s standing right in front of me.
“Hey..” He smiles sadly.
“Hey.” I echo back. “Want to go talk? I don’t have too long.”
“Yeah, of course. Lead the way.” He gestures for me to move in front of him.
We awkwardly walk out of the main room of the gym and into a back hallway. I lean up against one side of the wall while he takes up residence across from me.
“Please talk to me, baby girl.” His eyes lock onto mine, and the pure anguish in them almost brings me to my knees.
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Sully.” I look down at my shoes so I don’t have to watch his feelings dance across his expressive eyes.
“Anything!” He roars, startling me. “Say anything, because anything you say will make more sense than a half assed text message ending things when we’ve been obsessed with each other since we were in preschool.”
“I said I needed space, Sully. This isn’t exactly that.” I answer him as monotone as I can.
“Space fromwhat?” His control is barely holding on.
“From this, you, us! I need you to let me breathe for a second.” I bring my eyes up to lock onto his just in time to watch his composurebreak. The next thing I know, he has me crowded against the wall with his hands on either side of my head.
I want to melt more than I want my next breath. I want to press my lips to his and let him devour me. I want him to punish me for the past thirty-six hours, then care for me in only the way he can. I want to do everything except what I know I have to do. The only thing I can do to save both of our lives.
“Heat.” I make myself hold his gaze.
Immediately Sully backs up until his back hits the opposite wall again. “What?” He asks in disbelief.
My body trembles, and acid burns my throat as I push the words out that I know need to be said. “I said heat. I’m done, Sullivan. I’ll get my things out of your house the next time you’re on shift.”
His eyes shut tightly as he shakes his head like he's rejecting my words. “No. No! You can’t do this, Elle. You can’t ruin us like this!” His voice breaks on the last sentence, and tears break free of my eyes.
“You said the safe word is for if I ever wanted to stop.Yousaid no questions asked. Those were your words, Sully.” My voice rises as I speak until I’m yelling.
He nods solemnly. “We’re not done here, Elle. But I’ll give you the space you’re asking for. Just know that you can attempt to ruin us once a day for the rest of our lives, but I’ll always be here to revive us with new life.” He holds my eyes for a few more seconds before he walks away from me. I watch him leave, and only once he’s out of sight do I fall to the ground and let the pain and sorrow take over. I just broke the one thing I want to die without. But I’ll die ten times over before I let this psycho get near him.
Chapter twenty-eight
Sullivan Byrne
All Bro’s Group Chat:
Flynn: I don’t like this.
Dom: You’re telling me. She won’t answer a single call or text.
Knox: … She missed my game yesterday. I didn’t think I’d be this fucked up over it.
Xavier: I stopped by Kenzie’s on my way home, but she wasn’t there. I’m guessing she’s at the gym.
Flynn: Yeah, Sully went to go talk to her. He was headed to the gym. I’m at his house with Mac and Lee waiting for him to get back.
