Page 106 of Piece Us Together

I need him to stop.

I’m too weak to fight him if he doesn’t stop.

“Shut the fuck up,” I snap.

Hunter blinks hard. His hands aren’t raised any longer. They’re at his sides now, curling and uncurling. His chest heaves with every breath he takes.

I look away from him.

“This was a mistake. I can’t do this. I can’t—” I shake my head, bile burning my throat. I grab Nolan’s hand, leading him past Hunter and out of the bedroom. His hand is shaking in mine. I try to keep my mind from spinning out about that. I still take the first chance to drop it when we get to the door, shoving my feet in my boots while yanking my jacket on. I don’t care that it flutters outward, making my gun clink against the wall and giving away its presence in the hidden pocket. Maybe it’s good for Hunter to know I’m armed. To know I shouldn’t be fucked with right now.

Nolan is trying to tug his boots on with still shaking hands, his eyes wild with confusion and fear. There are tears in them.

I did this to him.

I let this happen.

I grab him, only one boot on his feet, his jacket half-zipped. I hold him to my chest, clinging to him like I might fall to pieces without him here to keep me together.

I look over his shoulder at Hunter, the man still standing there in nothing but his jeans, the buttons undone, his hands twitching at his sides as he fights against his desire to touch us. He doesn’t have permission anymore.

Never again.

“It’s over,” I tell him, looking right into his hazel eyes. For the first time since the night I barreled in here with a gun, looking for my brother, I feel nothing but anger for him. I hope he can see that. I hope he’s scared of it. Of me.

“Maison,” he says, soft, a little shaky, his head tilting like he’s pleading, one of his hands lifting just enough to have me stepping back.

Nolan uses the chance to get his other boot on, his eyes watching me warily. “Let’s just go, Mais. Let’s just—we can talk about it later, okay? Just calm down. Okay? I’m fine. I’m okay. I’m safe. Let’s go.”

I shake my head. He’s not okay. I just let him—how could he ever—I—I can’t—I can’t breathe, I can’tbreathe—

“Maison, you’re panicking, try to br—” I shove Hunter back, anger rushing over my anxiety, cooling it, replacing it. I get in his face, hands itching to shove him again. To hit him. To wrap around his throat. To beg him to help me—to make this stop.Make it stop. Make it stop. God, please, make it stop.“I. Said. Don’t. Fucking. Touch. Us.”

“Okay.” He puts his hands up, surrendering. There are tears in his eyes.

Good.

Bad. Really fucking bad. The worst.

This is Hunter. I don’t want to hurt Hunter. He’s—he’s important. He’s my—our—he’s our—our—he’s just…our…

He’s ours.

“He can’t drive like this,” Hunter murmurs, his chin lowered in submission, hands still up. He isn’t speaking to me. The words are for Nolan.

“I can drive,” Nolan says as he wraps a hand around my arm, gently pulling me away from Hunter where I’ve backed him into a wall.

A tear is falling down Hunter’s cheek.

Please don’t cry.

I didn’t mean to make you cry.

Everything is falling apart.

I’m ruining it.

I ruin everything I fucking touch.

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