Page 38 of Fragments of You

“If you truly love me, you will get in your truck and go home right now,” I tell him. “This ends here. I will not have you two fighting over me at every turn. If this continues, I will remove myself from the equation entirely.” I allow myself to briefly look at Nash before my eyes meet Felix’s once more. “I will not let this be my life.” My chin quivers with emotion.

“Paisley...” The look on Felix’s face makes me want to scream with frustration and burst into tears all in the same breath.

This isn’t his fault, not really, and yet I can’t push past my anger to allow myself to accept that.

“Let’s go.” Iris quickly leads me away.

I’m both relieved and devastated when Iris helps me into her car a few moments later. Because even though I know I need to be as far away from this situation as possible, it breaks my heart to have just left them both standing there. Especially Felix, who doesn’t deserve any of this. This is on me.

I knew better than to give Nash an in. I knew better than to go to the rocks that day. Just like I knew I should have told him to fuck off when he showed up outside my work. Instead, I played right into his hands.

Not anymore.

My days of bending to the will of Nash Ketter are over.

Now, if only I can find the strength to see that through.

“Are you okay?” Iris asks a few moments later from the driver’s seat as she pulls out of the parking lot.

I don’t look back to see if Nash and Felix are still there. I can’t. Because if they are, I’m not sure I’ll have it in me to leave, too afraid of what they might do to each other once I’m gone.

“I’m fine.” I look down at my hands, at the blood staining my fingers. I have no idea if I’m still bleeding or even where exactly I’m bleeding from, but my ear still feels like it’s ringing, so that’s awesome.

“You took a pretty hard hit. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Trust me, the physical pain is nothing compared to how I’m feeling internally. I just don’t understand why they keep doing this. Why he keeps doing this.”

“You think this is Nash’s fault?” She seems surprised by this.

“You don’t? He’s the one who came rushing at Felix like a bull. He hit Felix first, just like last time. I shouldn’t be surprised. Like father, like son, I guess.”

“Nash is nothing like his father, and you know it.” Irritation laces her words. “He saw Felix grab you. How did you expect him to react?”

“I don’t know, like a freaking adult. He threw me away and now, all of a sudden, he wants to be my savior? Lot of good that did, considering I’m currently bleeding.”

“Felix is the one who hit you. Not Nash.”

“Felix hit me by accident. It was my fault for trying to get in between them.”

“Well, none of it would have happened if Felix hadn’t egged Nash on.”

“Felix hasn’t done anything to Nash.”

“Outside of taking his girl, you mean.”

“What the hell is with everyone? I am not Nash’s girl. He left me, remember?”

“Bro code. How would you feel if you were the one who left, only to come back and see me and Nash together?”

“I would never leave. I would have died before leaving him.” I stare out the window, emotion making my throat tight.

“That’s not the point. If the roles were reversed, you’d be furious with me.”

“Maybe. But that doesn’t mean I’d try to knock your head off your shoulders every time I saw you.”

“Maybe not, but if I dangled him in front of you at every turn, maybe you would.”

“Felix isn’t dangling me in front of anyone. We’re together.”

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