Page 25 of Four Times Forever

"Why not? You gonna kill me if I talk?" I sat up.

"Eric, back off," Ethan commanded. "He has a point."

"I won't lose her." Eric panted, glaring at me before slapping his face and growling.

"You're choosing this, just as much as I am. So don't you look down your condescending nose at me. How are you all hurting her any less?" I lashed out at them because focusing on what I'd just done, and how I could have caused her serious damage if that pitcher had crashed and broken over her, was terrifying.

Eric stormed out the door and slammed it behind him. I turned my glare to the last one standing.

"What?" He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Well, aren't you leaving too?" I asked.

He rolled his eyes and they wandered before widening. "Well, wouldn't you like that?" He headed for my secret stash, hidden in my closet. Damn it, I should've closed the door. I was looking forward to obliterating myself when they left and praying that I didn't wake up. But Ethan started grabbing bottles and I charged after him. He shrugged me off easily and headed toward the glass door leading to outside.

"No!" I yelled as he started smashing the bottles of brandy, whiskey, vodka, and wine on the stone path.

It was like he was tossing me about, and as the liquor colored the ground, I envisioned my own blood. Maybe I couldn't stop drinking whenever I wanted. Oh fuck, I thought I was an addict.

Chapter 19

Matt

After trying to get Lily to open up for me, I realized it was better to let her calm down. Of course she was scared. As I walked to Ryan's door, my palm flattened by my side. I wanted to slap him a few times until I felt like he had learned his lesson.

"How's he?" I asked Ethan as I approached.

"He hasn't spoken since I smashed his bottles. Now I'm standing here, making sure he doesn't leave the room to harass Lily. We can't keep watch over him 24/7. Something has got to change." Ethan sounded out the last words.

"I already told you what my solution would be," Ryan shouted back.

Ethan's back tensed and his face hardened. "He's threatening to go to the police."

My stomach clenched.

"I wasn't threatening," Ryan answered.

Ethan huffed.

"It's fine," I patted him on the shoulder. "I'll sit with him."

He looked between us before deciding that he trusted me to keep him in this room until he sobered up. Ethan let out a heavy sigh, shoulders slumped as he walked away, shaking his head. This was a tough situation to be in, with your best friend who you loved, becoming a monster to the woman you were in love with. I wanted to knock him out and I needed him to know he was going to be okay.

"So, are you really going to the police?" I asked.

He looked up at me. "It's the right thing to do. Maybe I'll be able to save myself from this monster I'm becoming by stepping up and taking responsibility for my actions."

"Willing to drop us all in it? What about Lily?" I asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "We didn't do what we did for nothing."

Scoffing, he turned away from me and scowled at the ransacked closet. "How is she?"

"How do you think she is?" Thunder rumbled through my body and I rubbed my palm against the side of my pants as I got a very vivid image of what she must have been going through. And I was looking at the source of it right here.

Eyes still on the closet, he swung his legs over the bed. "I know what I have to do."

"What do you mean?" I jumped up and followed him.

He turned and looked at me. "Don't worry. I won't go to the cops, if that's what you're worried about. But I can't stay here. It's not fair for Lily to have to see me every day. She won't want me around."

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