Page 309 of Steamy Ever After

“Maybe they shouldn’t have released me from the hospital,” Brodie muttered.

“Why not?” Mad asked.

“I think I’m losing my mind.”

“I’m sorry, Brodie, but what you don’t seem to understand is that, while you were in Argentina, Peyton’s life went on.”

“I do understand, and I swear to God, if anyone would let me have the keys to my automobiles, I’d be in Cambria, on her doorstep, faster than those wheels would take me. She’s blocked my calls. She’ll talk to you, but she won’t talk to me. What am I supposed to do?”

He’d never felt so powerless in his life, and his brother refused to help him. Not only Mad; Naught would barely talk to him. Skye came to see him, but when he asked her about Peyton, his sister asked who she was. Ainsley called a couple of times, but she didn’t know anything about Peyton either.

Now that he was home, there was a chance he’d be able to convince one of his friends to take him to see her, since his family refused.

He sat down and put his head in his hands. This was as close as he came to crying in front of someone since he’d been rescued. He did plenty of it when he was alone.

Brodie stormed out the door of his parents’ house, went out into the field, and screamed at the top of his lungs. He screamed and screamed until he fell to his knees and sobbed.

When he felt a soft hand on his back, he was certain it was his mother. He kept his face buried in his hands.

“Brodie? What’s going on?” He recognized the voice, and it wasn’t his mother’s.

“Leave me alone, Alex.”

Instead, she sat down next to him and crossed her legs.

“Seriously. Please, leave me alone.”

“You really screwed things up, Brodie.”

“I know I did. Jesus. If I knew how to fix it, I would. And all of you telling me that as soon as I figure it out, you’ll let me talk to Peyton, is bullshit. I don’t know what the hell it is you all expect of me or how the hell I’ll know if anything I think is right.”

He put his face in his hands and cried. He couldn’t give a shit who saw him now.

“I’m not part of this, Brodie. Look at me.”

She didn’t speak again until he did as she asked.

“I don’t know what’s going on with your brother. My guess is he’s trying to keep you from making things worse. I know it’s hard to understand, but I honestly don’t think he’s trying to stop you from talking to Peyton.”

“Why won’t she talk to me?”

“It’s complicated, and I’m not sure I can explain it.”

“Why don’t you or Maddox or Naughton simply say, ‘she hates you’? Or ‘she never wants to see you again’? Instead, you say it’s complicated or ‘as soon as you figure out what you did wrong, we’ll let you talk to her.’”

“That isn’t what I’m saying.”

“You did. You said it was complicated. Even my own ma walked away when Maddox told her to stay out of it. I feel like I’ve entered an alternate universe. Am I in hell, Alex? Is this what hell is? Did I die, and instead of being at home, like I think I am, I’m really dead?”

Brodie followed Alex’s line of sight. Maddox stood near the barn, watching them. He had his arms folded and a scowl on his face.

“If this is hell, he must be Satan because he’s made it his personal mission to torture me. Do you know he talks to her?”

“He can’t stop you, Brodie.”

“How can I, Alex? I’ve been in the hospital. I’ve reached out to her a thousand times, and she won’t take my calls. I’ve left her messages. I’ve tried to explain what happened that night, and nothing. No response. I bled over the phone, Alex. I admitted the absolute worst thing I’ve ever done in my life, and nothing. Nothing!”

“Tell me, Brodie.”

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