Page 200 of There's No Us Without You
“But—”
I’m cut off by the coldness of his expression, and he yanks his hand from mine.
“Do as you’re fucking told and stay here until I’m done.” He’s gone seconds later, following Gabby into another room and leaving me with a throbbing headache.
Ten minutes later—after I’ve ignored Tyler’s insistence on helping me clean the blood from my face—Will emerges again, a sulking Gabby behind him.
“Let’s go.” Will shoves me out the door when I try to sidestep him.
I stumble backwards, my feet getting caught on the rotting wooden boards of the deck. Will snatches me around the waist, steadying me.
“Don’t fucking touch me,” I say, shoving him in the chest. “I fucking hate you.”
“So I’ve heard.” With a shake of his head, he snatches his car keys from his front pocket and unlocks the car doors. “Get in the car, Eden. I’m taking you home.”
My feet dig into the gravel, stopping me from moving forward. He can’t just show up here and demand I do as he says. Not after he told me I mean nothing to him.
No way.
I fold my arms over my chest and stare out at the horizon in front of Will’s car.
“What are you doing?”
“Going nowhere with you.” I dart a quick glance in his direction before turning away again.
Sighing, Will takes my elbow, attempting to push me forward, but I stand my ground, letting him know he can’t just demand things from me and expect that I’m going to fall to my knees and do exactly what he says.
That may be our arrangement in the bedroom, and right now we are far from there. Both physically and metaphorically.
“Eden, come on.” Will rubs his eyes. “We can discuss whatever it is you’re pissed about at home.”
“So you’re just going to leave Tyler here to fend for himself?”
Glancing over his shoulder, he clears his throat. “He’s a big boy. He made his bed.”
“Oh, my god. I can’t believe you. He’s your brother.” I spit the words at him, disgusted that he can be so uncaring.
“Thanks for stating the facts. Now move.”
“No.” I fold my arms over my chest, defying him with my eyes. “That... that filth in there”—I point to the house—“supplied Emerson with oxy and rubbed her body all over him like a fucking dog in heat. Oh, and let’s not forget she aborted your baby without you knowing.” I throw my arms into the air, letting them fall again to hang by my sides.
I’m not judging Gabby for having an abortion—a woman’s body is hers to do as she pleases. But how could she not tell Will? Surely he had a right to know, if nothing else?
My body aches, the centre of my face burning when tears fill my eyes.
“It wasn’t mine,” Will says, literally growling out the words, and points over my shoulder. “Now get in the car, or I will drag you there. You better believe you’re in trouble when we get home.” He grabs my upper arms and pushes me forward again, not stopping until we’re in front of his car.
“Fine,” I say as I climb into the car. “But just so you know, I’m only going with you because Emerson is at home by himself.”
Will only shakes his head as he climbs into the driver’s side and starts the car.
I sulk like a small child while we drive home. The tension in the air could be popped with a pin, but neither of us say anything, either out of anger or stubbornness.
Likely both.
God, this is such a shit show. They’re all to blame, I know that, but it doesn’t stop me from letting the protective instinct over my boys kick in, just the way it does for them when I’m in danger or they think I’ve been wronged.
Will sighswhen we pull up outside the house. “I’m sorry,” he says, scrubbing his hands over his face. “But you just can’t go around throwing words out there like that, especially with them.If Brady finds out you were threatening to call the cops, I don’t know what he’ll do.”
