Page 108 of Bought and Broken

Dane looks at me, brow raised. Then he slowly nods. “Yeah, I got that from the smell.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Obviously you’re not doing okay if this is how you’ve been living. I can only assume it’s because of her. Unless it’s something else?”

I sigh, leaning back in my chair. “It’s her. Mostly…”

“Mostly?” he asks, sounding offended on her behalf.

“My father is dying,” I admit.

“Shit,” he says, running his hands down his face. “I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

I shrug. “Such is life.”

We fall into silence again, this one a little more comfortable now that I’ve gotten some things off my chest. Not a lot of things, but I guess I hadn’t realized how holding on to the issue with my father was weighing me down. Just saying it to him has me feeling lighter.

“We’ve never had a fight like this,” Dane finally says.

“I’ve never done something so stupid before.”

“You got that right.” He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and swinging his head toward me. “Do you regret it?”

“More than anything.”

“Yet you haven’t found her yet?”

I turn toward him. “Excuse me?”

He shrugs. “Just think that if you cared as much as you say you do, you would have found her by now.”

“I’ve been doing everything I can to find out where she is. I’ve even gone to Summer’s apartment and job to beg her, but she won’t tell me. I’ve hired a goddamn PI!” Dane chuckles, rolling his lips between his teeth to stop from laughing. “What is so funny?” I shout, getting to my feet. “This isn’t funny at all. I’m a fucking mess. I’m lost. I don’t know what to do with my goddamn life after this.”

Dane gets up and moves in front of me, putting his hands on my shoulders.

“You’ll find her,” he says.

“What?” I snap at him.

“Just,” he begins, looking me up and down. “Take care of yourself. Get your shit together. Find my sister.”

He pats me on the shoulder, then turns to leave.

“So, you’re not mad at me anymore?” I call out, jumping to my feet.

He stops in the doorway, turning to face me.

“Oh, I’m fucking pissed. You hurt my sister. My twin. But obviously you’re hurt too. And I think that’s payback enough.”

“So that’s it then? You’ve just forgiven me?”

He shrugs again. “I think you’ve learned your lesson.” He pauses for a long moment. “Haven’t you?”

I narrow my eyes, then nod carefully.

“Then that’s it,” he says with a firm nod of his head.

He leaves. After staring at the door for a long time, I drop into the chair. I stay there until dark, which is when I go back inside and get back to figuring out where my girl is.

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