Page 69 of Survival

“What?” I spun back to face him, a new terror striking me from within. “But you said when I was ready—”

“But you’re not,” Tucker barked, throwing his arms out. “You’re just asking for it now to piss off your mom, and I deserve better than that.” He held a fist to his chest. “We both do. So, no, I won’t be gathering my shit, but you can take that bag you just packed and walk it over to that room with Annie, cuz that’s where you’re going to have to stay tonight and every other night until you realize howfuckedup what you just tried to do is.”

“Tucker?” I called to his back as he stormed out, but he didn’t turn back. I raced to the top of the stairs. “Tucker!”

“Not now!” he roared, and I stood there, my bottom lip trembling as I watched him walk away. Thedoor slammed, and I flinched, my insides crumbling as everything that held me together started to come undone.

Chapter 20

TUCKER

The look of panic on Izzy’s face when I yelled kept passing through my thoughts, her terror eating at me as I stared up at my ceiling. I’d been furious. Hurt more than anything. I wasn’t even sure if she understood why. Part of me was aching to check on her, but I couldn’t yet. I was right about what happened today.

Facing her mom was hard, yeah, but when the twins had first pulled up, I could easily say that me fighting with Izzy was the last way I saw things going. I’d watched the twins climb out of their truck, hot and sweaty and exhausted after hours of their coping mechanisms, but they were radiant, determination set in their gazes over their pain, like two warriors preparing to march into battle.

And yeah, it definitely felt like a fucking battle.Just not the one I’d bargained for.

Annie had tried to be civil, in a way, but when Bridgette had ignored her warnings and pushed, it was like an explosion had gone off inside my girl, so much of what she’d been holding back comingout.

I’d kept my place at her side, showing my solidarity in front of her family, but it had been like a knife to my chest when she’d used my proposal to get back at her mom. The dig that followed from Bridgette hadn’t felt good either.

I knew Izzy loved me, but I also knew that if I’d given her that ring today, it would have felt like a lie. Any other time she would have said yes, I’d have been shouting from the rooftops. This felt like an insult. I felt sick just thinking about it.

I rolled over in bed, my eyes falling to the clock. It was past two in the morning, but there was no way I was going to sleep. One of the few moments I’d managed around midnight, I’d been jerked awake, those images that haunted me so often during the day tormenting me even in my dreams.

The others thought that it was me that helped Izzy sleep. For me, it was the other way around. Tonight was going to be rough.

Itching to do something that might drive back my thoughts and the memories, I threw the covers back and went to sit on my weight bench, popping my Airpods in along the way.

Eminem’sTill I Collapsefilled my ears, and I let the intense beat take over, pumping my weights until all I felt was the welcome strain in my muscles and adrenaline coursing through my body.

When I’d finally found some relief and set my weights aside, I headed for the shower, trying not to think about the last time I’d had Izzy in here with me, her lithe, perfect form pressed against the wall, water falling over her body as I licked the drops from her sweet skin. Theway her legs shook as I brought her to orgasm again and again.

Fuck, I miss her.I missedus. We’d been starting to get it back this past month. Izzy rarely denied me anymore, her mouth and hands only getting better at caressing my dick the more experience she got. But other than her chest, her body was off limits to me.

I wished she could trust me. I didn’t care about her scar. Any emotional ones, yes, no question, but the physical? The second she let me, I’d worship every inch of her.

Hard as a rock now but not even interested, I stepped out of the shower, throwing a towel around my waist as I headed back to my room. My gaze immediately fell to my phone on the bed as Annie’s name lit up the screen.

I practically lunged to grab it.

“Hey,” I answered, a whooshing sound pounding through my ears as I waited for her to speak.

“Hey. Look, I know you’re mad. I don’t even blame you. I probably would be, too, but it’s bad, Tucker. Really bad. You need to come over.”

I was throwing on sweats and out the door in seconds.

Using my key to get in, I ran up the stairs and found Izzy curled in a ball, tears rushing down her face as she gasped for air. My heart lurched in my chest. This was worse than bad, rougher than usual, and I pushed past Blake and Bridgette to get to my girl.

Annie let go of her sister and crawled off the bed when she saw me coming, and I threw Izzy’s covers back to scoop her into my arms. She immediately clung to me, her fingers pressing to my bare chest as her head buried into my shoulder, and I shot our audience a glare as Icarried her from the room.This. This was what they were asking her to endure by wanting to kick me out.

Youlefthertonight.

My thoughts took a minute to torment me. Well, I wasn’t fucking letting her down again. I’d just reached the stairs when Archer opened his door, his small hands scrubbing the sleep from his eyes, and I inwardly cursed. This kid had seen enough drama today and been through enough shit in his life. He didn’t need to see his sister breaking down. A hand pressed to my back, and I looked over my shoulder to find Blake, his face a mask of concern.

“In there.” He pointed to the guest room.

My eyes narrowed. “I’m not leaving her.”

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