Page 168 of Severed Heart
Dom exits the house shortly after, a small box in his hand as he stalks up and holds it out to me. “Found this in the hall closet.”
“Not mine,” I say, frowning down at it.
“It’s yours,” he insists before palming my shoulder, his version of a hug. “Think your mom dropped it off when we first moved in, and you never really unpacked.”
Grabbing the box, I peer over at him.
“I’ve got her,” I assure, sensing his ache as he keeps his eyes lowered. “Look at me, Dom,” I prompt, and he does, the unguarded pain in his expression enough to have me pissed at Tobias again. “I’ve got her.”
He nods before glancing briefly at the townhouse and surprisingly pulling me into him for something closer to resembling a hug. “Thanks, brother. I owe you.”
“Sure you don’t want me to tell him?” I ask about the day he literally became a hero last month, but Dom’s insistent that he doesn’t want said heroics to play any part in this. He’s worried that his actions might give Tobias more cause to leash him. Dom shakes his head, indicating as much. I decide it’s one more secret I’ll keep from T for a while longer. Because as of right now, today, fuck him, and he wasn’t in on the secret.
Hisrules.
“Fine,” I sigh. “Just hurry the fuck up,” I say as he releases me, taking the passenger seat, before I watch the two of them pull out. Sean’s motor hums in their wake well after they race out of sight.
Chest aching due to their departure, I head back inside and set the box on the kitchen counter before opening it. Inside sits a pair of sneakers I wore out with my runs, a few of my high school yearbooks, and other small hits of nostalgia. Especially when I pull out one of the battalion soldiers I kept from the first game I won against Delphine.
Besides my old phone, the rest of the contents are mostly junk, but the sight of my Sidekick jars me a little. I’d left it charging on my nightstand the morning I confronted my dad and left home for good. I never bothered to retrieve it after my sabbatical in the woods just after enlisting, or after my trip to Georgia before I got on that bus. I grin as I unwrap the charging cord and plug it in for kicks. Heading upstairs, I eye the small litter of trash on the living room floor of the otherwise empty townhouse. Melancholic—but thankful this hellacious summer is fucking over—I pack what’s left and tape the boxes. Hours later, when I come down with the last of my shit, I click off the lights of the townhouse before retrieving my ancient phone from the counter. Freezing when I see I have fourteen missed calls and dozens of unread text messages.
I swallow as I open the feed up from Delphine and damn near hit my knees when I see what’s on screen.
General Half-Pint: I di d not mean it solder
General Half-Pint: Plse come back
I curse the fact that I don’t know what date she sent them, but I know for certain it was after I left, especially when I read the next one.
General Half-Pint: Plese dp not stop be frien d to me.
General Half-Pint: does soldeir not miss fish buddy
General Half-Pint: I cna stop cr y for y ou come bak to me sodler
General Half-Pint: I was wrnog so sorry please txet me bac k
General Half-Pint: You go marines no say bye to me question mar k
General Half-Pint: Plesa don t leave wihtiou say bye to me sodier of my heart
General Half-Pint: Plesse sodker I was scaerd so scard I am sorry ever y day
General Half-Pint: I so sad ans sorrry since you left I cry evey day I cannt breathe solder
General Half-Pint: I geuss you li e to me quest mar
Furious tears line my jaw as I stare at her last text.
General Half-Pint: I will wait
* * *
Knowing I’ve put some serious wear and tear on my engine with my erratic driving, I furiously blaze a path down the driveway, rocks battering my truck as I battle my conflicting emotions. Fury burning through me as reminders fly at me of what she’s already been through. It’s the need to confront her that outweighs those reminders. WhatI’vefucking been through in the aftermath of that morning that overrules everything else.
Jesus, has she really been waiting all this time?
The truth of that rings true as her words from weeks ago slam into me.“I understand why you didn’t text me or come back.”
