Page 55 of All My Broken Pieces

She glances behind her, scrunching up her face. “Um, I’m not sure how to tell you…” Her voice trails off.

“Arriana isn’t coming back.” Killian grunts, not looking up.

Ava gasps, reaching over to smack his arm, hissing, “Killian.”

He glances up, narrowing his eyes at her. “Watch it, baby girl.” He warns.

Ava tries to hide the flinch at his words, but we all notice. Killian’s expression softens, and he takes her hand. “I’m sorry. There’s just a lot…” Trailing off once more, he looks down, immediately pushing to his feet. “I gotta take this.” Exiting the room, he holds the phone to his ear without saying a word.

I watch mutely after him, my mind replaying his words over and over.

“Arriana isn’t coming back.”

“Arriana isn’t coming back.”

She’s…

Clapping my hand over my mouth, I hiccup a sob, trying to keep up the patchwork dam I’d built around the sea of emotions.

“Hey, no, none of that. We’ll figure this out.” Ava soothes, tightening her hold on me. “Why don’t I get us something todrink, hmm?” Without waiting for a response, she steps back and begins her hunt for something to comfort me in liquid form.

I don’t respond, Ican’trespond, too lost in my head.

Is this what it felt like for her? When I left, did it feel like a piece of her was ripped away? Like she’d never be whole again. How could I…

My mind replays broken bits and pieces of memories, splicing them together in a horrible slideshow of my worst moments.

Packing my bag, I feel the tears stinging my eyes. I know this is the right thing to do, that it’ll be better for both of us. But it hurts so damn much.

One painful memory bleeds to another.

I wake up, finding the bed empty. The sound of muffled voices reaches me from down the hall. Stretching, I groan as my sore muscles pop. My hand lands on a piece of paper on Arriana’s pillow. Flicking my eyes to the doorway, I shoot upright and snatch the page, squinting to read it in the dim light. My heart shatters as I read the words.

Blinking, I push away the memories, but I can’t stop the thoughts.

Why is this happening to us?

Are we never going to be happy?

Do we not get to be?

“We finally found each other again.” I mumble, the pain inside breaking free.

Ava sets a mug in front of me, gripping my bicep and squeezing. “I know, babe. And we’ll get her back, I promise.”

I nod my head, even though I don’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Because it’s becoming clear our love was doomed from the start.

Taking the warm cup, I gingerly lift it to my lips, sipping at the velvety chocolate and wishing I had something a little stronger. Something to numb some of this pain.

Chapter 26

Arriana

The music fills the cab of the truck, some country song I’ve never heard of, but if Andrew’s terrible singing is any indication, it’s gotta be one of his favorites.

I smile, kicking my legs up on the dash and shouting over the music, “So, where are we going?” My heartbeat speeds up at the promise of getting to see my baby again. It’s the one thing that has kept me going throughout this whole ordeal.

Andrew glances at me, reaching over and turning down the radio’s volume. “I’ve got a connection who runs a half-way house of sorts in Spokane. She said you could stay there until the heat dies down a bit.”

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