Page 250 of Tell Me Something True

No goodbye.

He fucking got up, crossed the room and walked out the door.

And ended up here.

He had a sister.

A woman he barely knew who was ten years older than him and—if the way she held the assistant chief’s hand the whole time she’d talked to Reed was any indication—was hung up on the cop who’d busted Reed more times than he wanted to count.

He threw more pebbles, harder this time, not giving a shit that he was making too much noise. That it was barely eleven p.m. and there was a good chance he’d wake Verity’s bearded brother.

He just… he wanted to see Verity.

He needed her.

He had a sister.

And he’d already fucked things up with her. Had hurt her feelings when he’d walked out without a word.

He had a sister who’d always wanted a brother.

And she’d gotten stuck with him.

He was about to throw the last of his pebbles when there was movement at her window. He froze as a light suddenly turned on in her room. Held his breath when, a moment later, the curtains twitched.

Another moment, this one the longest one of his life, before those curtains were opened and there she was, staring back at him, her arms crossed, her hair loose, the messy waves falling past her shoulders. She had on those same tiny shorts she’d worn last night and a t-shirt, and she looked so fucking pretty, so perfect and good and everything he’d never let himself dream of having, he stepped forward and lifted his hand, as if he could somehow reach out and touch her from here and take her as his own.

Make her his.

But then she took her own step back. Let her arms fall to her sides.

And he saw what she was wearing.

That fucking Drillers’ t-shirt.

With that other guy’s name and number on the back.

He rubbed a hand over his suddenly tight chest. It hurt to swallow. To breathe.

It was worse than anything his old man had ever done to him. Worse than his mother’s betrayal.

Worse, because he’d brought it on himself.

Verity took another step back. Held his gaze while she slowly tugged the curtains together. She moved away from the window and a moment later, the light in her room went out.

He waited. Stood there in the dark, his dog whining beside him, mosquitoes buzzing by his head.

He waited, but the light didn’t come back on.

He waited, but she didn’t come back to the window.

He waited, but she didn’t come around the corner of the house.

He waited, but she didn’t give him another chance.

And he knew she never would.

Chapter 51

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