Page 75 of Missing Pieces (Men of Manhattan 3)

"I'm sorry, I don't..." his words died away.

"She's not who she says she is. She's been lying to you."

He looked over his shoulder and then back at me. "How old did you say you were?"

"I'm 22."

He lowered his eyebrows and shook his head. "I'm sorry...it's just...it's not possible."

"Please believe me."

"I will not stand here and listen to this slander." He nodded his head as if he was trying to convince himself.

"Please, Richard, I just..."

This time he slammed the door in my face.

I pounded my fist against the door again. No. I hadn't faced my fears of seeing her just to leave feeling like this. She wasn't allowed to abandon me when I needed her again. She wasn't allowed to make me feel second best anymore, with her new family and her fancy house. My whole life it felt like there wasn't enough room in her heart for me in addition to her new family. News flash, Elena. There was room for me. I pounded my fist on the door again.

My whole life I had convinced myself that if she didn't need me, I didn't need her either. And I thought I'd be able to hold on to that notion. So why was I falling apart? I truly didn't need her. I didn't need my mom. I wrapped my arms around myself and let myself start to cry. Because the truth was, no matter how many times I told myself otherwise, I did need her. I wanted to be first in her life. I wanted me and my dad to be the family she chose. I wanted there to be room for me in her heart. My whole life I had felt rejected. Abandoned. And now my dad was going to die. I was going to be left all alone. Didn't she see that? Didn't she see how much she was hurting me? I needed her. I needed her help and I hated that I needed it. I hated myself for believing that she might actually help me.

I heard sirens wailing in the distance. I didn't have money to post bail. I didn't even have enough money to fly back home. My knees tried to give out as I ran down their front steps. But I kept running. I needed to get home to my dad. I couldn't end up in some prison in Pasadena. I grabbed my duffel bag from behind the bush and froze.

Tyler's car was sitting at the end of the driveway. He waited for me. And my heart broke into a million tiny pieces. He waited for me.

Chapter 40

Tyler

Thursday

I watched as the guy slammed the door in Hailey's face. It took every ounce of restraint to not run to her. She had asked me to leave. It was bad enough that I had come back. And it felt like I was spying, because I was. She didn't want me here. I couldn't really explain it, but I felt in my gut that she needed me here, though. I wanted to be there for her.

She put her arms around her torso, hugging herself. I watched the girl I was falling in love with fall apart. And I watched her be strong as she pounded on the door again.

Maybe she didn't need me. But I was going to be there for her anyway. I'd be right here waiting for her if she wanted me.

Sirens wailed in the distance. I glanced in my rearview mirror but didn't see anything. When I looked back out the side window, Hailey was standing at the end of the driveway staring at me.

I couldn't tell if she was furious or happy to see me. I opened up the car door and stepped out.

"You came back." She wiped her eyes will the heel of her palm.

"I came back."

She nodded as more tears slid down her cheeks.

The sirens were starting to sound closer.

"Does the offer still stand to go see the Pacific Ocean?"

I smiled. "Get in."

She looked down at the ground as she climbed back into my car.

"Do you want to talk about..."

"Can you just drive?" She didn't say it defensively. It came out as more of a plea.

---