Page 28 of The Fate of Us

“Yeah and Kyle was with me all night. In fact, he was the reason we didn’t go to the party, even after I heard that you went. He wanted our night to be special. But when we found out what happened, it was both of us that came and got you and took you home.” I grab her hands as the tears fall down her cheeks. “Becca is a worthless piece of shit in my eyes now, Jess. She’s manipulative and hurtful. And she would say anything to get you on her side.”

“Anything else you want to say about me?”

My eyes snap up when I hear Becca’s voice. My fist clenching hard against the wood of the porch. Jess must see my rage as she grabs my clenched hand.

“Calm down, Anna May,” Jess whispers.

I push to standing. “I’m not going to fucking calm down.”

“Look at you finally showing some grit,” Becca says. And by the way she is stumbling, I am guessing she is drunk.

I walk the few feet to her and get in her face. “Grit? I don’t need to show grit around you. I need you to get the fuck out of here.”

“Anna, can’t we just talk?” she slurs and stumbles into me. That’s when I notice the black eye she has.

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“But I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I should have told you.”

I stand my ground in front of her, controlling my anger as best I can. “You should have told me a lot of things. But you didn’t. And most of what you did tell me was lies.”

“That’s not true. I—”

“I don’t want to hear it, Becca.” I hear the front door slam behind me and turn to see Noah storming down the stairs, my parents and Conner standing next to Jess.

I throw my hand up behind me, signaling Noah to stop. I love the man but he needs to let me fight my own battles.

“Please, Anna.”

“We both know you are full of lies. And I quite frankly don’t want to hear any more of them fall out of your mouth. Stay away from my sister, stay away from me. Get off my parents’ property and get out of my life.”

I turn to leave but she pulls on my arm. I go to throw a punch, not giving a shit she already has a black eye but Noah stops me.

“Not worth it,” he whispers in my ear.

I throw one last glare at Becca and walk into my parents’ house, my sister right on my heels.

I look out the window and I see Noah talking to her. Connor is next to him on the phone as my parents walk in the house.

Jess grabs my hand and whispers in my ear. “Thought you would like to know I gave her that black eye.”

I turn and look at my sister, not quite sure if she is serious. But the look on her face tells me she really did.

I grin at her as I drag her to the kitchen. “I think we both need a shot.”

“Amen, sister.”

9

Anna

The driveback to Asheville has been peaceful. I feel like I’ve gotten the closure I need to move on. I can finally rebuild my relationship with my family. I can let myself love again.

I look over at Noah as he drives. His aviator sunglasses covering part of his face just make his jaw more pronounced. I look at his biceps as he turns the wheel. I can’t say it enough, but he is the perfect specimen of a human being. The cop you see in those memes on the internet.

And he is all mine.

He looks over at me and smirks. “Want me to take my shirt off?”

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