Page 84 of How We Loved

“Thank you again, Dalton,” I say.

He leans down and kisses my head. “Anything for you. Glad you’re okay.” He nods his head to Ben. “Night, bro.”

“Night,” Ben replies.

We sit in silence with ESPN playing the day’s highlights. I’ve never seen Ben act like this, but we’ve also never been in a situation like this. I want to talk to him, but at the same time, I don’t want to talk about what happened.

After a half hour or so, he reaches for the remote, turns off the television, and goes to sleep. I guess he thought I already was.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Ben

I turned off the TV last night, thinking it would help me fall asleep.

Boy, was I wrong.

All I could think about was, What if something had happened to her? What if he’d hurt her—or worse? The thoughts made me ill, and I kept having to reposition myself so I wouldn’t throw up.

Now, it’s morning time, and I realize I have to face her again. I don’t know why it absolutely killed me to look at her last night. Even one tiny glance, and it felt like my insides were being ripped out.

I put down the feet to the recliner and rest my elbows on my knees as I stare at her.

My sweet, innocent little Maya, who is so tiny, wrapped up in Dalton’s sweatshirt and the blanket.

Dalton exits his room and catches me staring at her. He raises his eyebrows at me, so I flip him off. The laugh I get in return as he enters the bathroom stirs Maya awake.

“Good morning,” Maya says, stretching out her legs and arms.

I stand up, not able to handle what the sound of her sleepy voice does to my insides.

I walk to the bathroom and bang on the door. “Come on, bro, or I’m going to pee in your kitchen sink.”

Dalton opens the door with a laugh. “I’d knock you out if you did that.”

He pauses, standing in my way, looking at me and then Maya. I push him to the side and close the bathroom door behind me. Before I use the bathroom, I check out my hands, opening and closing them. My right hand hurts a little worse, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. It’s a good thing I didn’t break it with the beating I gave Trevor. He’s lucky Eli dragged me off of him when he did, or I wouldn’t have stopped.

After I do my business, I exit the bathroom, only to see Maya curled up on the couch, looking as sweet as ever.

I have to get out of here.

I walk to where I slipped my shoes off last night and grab the contents from my pocket that I left sitting on the table.

“Are you leaving?” Maya asks from behind me.

I don’t bother to look at her. “Yeah, I got stuff I have to do.”

“But we’re all coming over today, right?” she asks.

Fuck. It’s Sunday.

I sigh. “Yeah. That’s why I need to get out of here—so I can get it all done before everyone comes over.”

I turn around, and when we meet eyes, I can tell she knows I’m lying, but thankfully, she doesn’t question me. I walk to the kitchen, where Dalton is.

“I’m out of here,” I say, holding out my hand to slap his.

He pauses, not reciprocating the gesture. “You good?”

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