Page 76 of Back in the Country
“I screwed up. God, Marlee, I’m so sorry. I…” Waylon’s voice cracks with desperation, his fingers tugging at the blond strands of his hair.
“Don’t you dare say it. I’m serious, Way. You need to figure yourself out and if that includes me.”
He looks downright appalled.
“Of course it includes you.”
“Then show me, because I haven’t seen it this week and I’m not seeing it now.”
“I can’t fucking lose you again.”
He looks devastated, and I have to swallow down the lump in my throat. I have to be strong.
“Well then, show me you’re serious, because you blazin’ in here beggin’ me to stay doesn’t cut it. You didn’t trust me enough to talk to me. I cried myself to sleep almost every night because of you, Way. I won’t do it again.”
“Marlee.” My name is a whisper in the almost silent room. Almost silent because Sorren is growling behind me, and I can tell he’s only a hot minute from jumping his best friend.
I look at my watch.
“Nope.” I set the forgotten mug on the table with more force than is strictly necessary. “Figure yourself out while I’m gone. I came back for you once, but I won’t do it again if you can’t prove to me we’re in this together.”
Hank knocks on the door and pushes it open.
“You ready?” He doesn’t crack a smile, but his eyes dance with glee as he assesses the standoff taking place.
“Yeah, let’s go.”
He grabs my bags, and we walk out to his truck without a backward glance.
30
WAYLON
My ears are ringing as Hank pulls down the road with Marlee, a cloud of dust following in their wake. My heart is fucking hemorrhaging and everything hurts.
“Whatthefuck did you say to my sister that made her cry herself to sleep every Goddamn night?” Sorren says through clenched teeth.
I should probably be more afraid of the feral look in his eyes as he watches me, but I’m spoiling for a fight too.
“Like you’re any better,” I scoff. He doesn’t flinch, but his fists clench by his sides. “She was a mess since she got here over you. You honestly think she didn’t cry over you too?”
“This ain’t about me!”
“The hell it’s not! I did everything you asked!” I yell. “I fucking let my life walk away from metwiceand for what? Because you didn’t trust her to make her own decisions.”
“She needed to stand on her own.”
“She’s the fucking strongest person I know. You didn’t trustmeto stand beside her.”
“I trusted you not to fucking hurt her!” he roars and strides across the floor until he’s right in my face.
“Step. Back.” The words are the only thing I can manage, because if he moves even an inch it’s going to come to blows, and Marlee will never forgive me.
“You better fix it, Waylon, or I swear…
“I’m gonna fuckin’ fix it.” Quieter I say, “I have to.”
The rage that was suffocating us dissipates almost instantly. We each take a step back. There’s no real power struggle between us. There never has been.
