Page 56 of The Marine

“I’m calling 911.” Mom flaps around and grabs the phone, punching it.

“Is he alive?” I half whisper.

“Unfortunately.” Aidan replies angrily, glancing as my father’s legs twitches.

Relieved, I take Aidan’s face with my palm. “No hospital. I will be okay.”

I know how this goes. The pain will be horrible but with some pain meds and resting my voice for a week or two, it will be fine.

I watch the realization start to sink in and tears start pouring down my face.

He knows my shame.

I want to beg him not to leave me, but I won’t.

“Hey, hey,” Aidan says and carries me into the living room. He sits with me on his lap and keeps cooing me.

This is where he starts planning his exit. Where he says goodbye.

“Sorry,” I rasp.

“What the hell are you sorry about? Thank god I came back for my phone, which is in your purse, or you could be fucking dead, Briar.”

“He wouldn’t.” I reply, sounding pathetic, and we both know it’s a lie.

Aidan shakes his head, disappointed in me, and it just cuts deeper. Then he gently places a hand on my face.

“How long has this been going on?”

I try to avert my eyes, but he grips me a little tighter. Not hard. He wouldn’t do that. I know this about him.

“Sweetheart,” he prompts.

A choke on the tears which swamp me and collapse on his chest. I can’t tell him. Shame consumes me along with grief, knowing this is the end.

I don’t deserve a man like him.

I never did.

Suddenly, I just wish he wasn’t here.

“You should go,” I rasp and attempt to climb off his lap as Mom cries into the phone.

I hear the sirens in the distance.

Then Dad groans something and Mom has apparently only just realized he wasn’t dead.

“Oh thank god. Oh god. I thought you were dead. That boy nearly killed you.”

Aidan holds me tight on his lap, as if not wanting me near the man who gave me life.

My life is so fucked up.

“Come home with me,” he says, and I glance up at him through soaking wet eyes, surprised. “Come home with me. Move in with me. I don’t want you here.”

“Aidan,” I sob, filled with so much love I think I’ll explode.

He still wants me?

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