Page 116 of Broken Skulls

It kills me not to say it back.

And besides, I’m not hungry.

Eventually, the thought I might hurt her feelings by not eating the food she left guilts me into giving in. I wait until I’m sure she’s upstairs, and then I slide to the floor and open the little box.

My hand cautiously pats inside, not wanting to spill anything.

It’s not food.

I pull the stuffed dog I gave her to my chest.

Fucking hell.

When I get back in bed, I realize it smells like her. An ache settles in my chest, but no matter how much my heart yearns for her, I can’t succumb to it. I’m no good. In fact, I told my brothers to tell her those exact words and to help set her up wherever she wants to go.

I don’t understand why she’s still here.

I bring the stuffed animal to my nose, inhaling deeply. Why did she have to go and do this?

Because I deserve to be tortured for hurting her.

Hours later, she’s back outside my room. Again, I wait until it’s quiet before opening the door.

This time she did leave food. My favorite.

She’s not going to make this easy.

I jump when she speaks.

“I know what you’re thinking, Jacob. You’re not like him. It was an accident. I’m fine.”

I shake my head.

Thank god Dirk has the key, or she’d be in here. And I don’t know if I’d survive seeing her.

“If you’re not ready to talk, that’s okay, because I’ll still be here when you are. I’m not going anywhere.”

Goddammit.

Chapter Forty-Six

Elizabeth

My fingers trail through the curtains as I lazily watch two men play cards on the porch. There’s been someone here for the last week. I’m not going to lie; it kind of blows my mind how wonderful these people are. It’s been nice.

The second night, I made Jesse go home to her family. She has little grandkids, and her sister needs her help right now. She has her hands full with her three girls.

It was the right decision, but oh my god I was terrified. I went to the basement and yearned to crawl into bed with Jacob, but the door is locked and I couldn’t find the key.

Jacob’s friend Brody must have noticed I had every light on in the house that night, because he knocked on the door. I literally fell into his arms in a fit of tears. I’d never felt so alone. I don’t know how I became so accustomed to having someone by my side.

Anyway, Brody has slept on the couch ever since.

I push myself out of the chair and head back downstairs to try again.

“Jacob, please talk to me,” I beg.

He sighs loudly on the other side, and my heart lurches. I know it’s not much, but it’s the first response I’ve gotten from him.

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