Page 129 of From the Wreckage
For a long moment, all I can do is stare at him, the relief and heartbreak crashing over me in waves. I wanted justice, but hearing it… It’s messy. It doesn’t give me back what was taken, but it lifts some of the weight I’ve been carrying alone.
Everett tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “They can’t touch you anymore, angel. Not ever again.”
Tears blur my vision, but this time, they’re laced with something else. Something like freedom.
“Thanks for doing this. I never dreamed he’d be held accountable for what he did. Losing football... that’ll kill him. And Meghan... it just confirms she wasn’t my friend. That my suspicions were valid.”
He gives me a smile. “Your instincts were right. Keep trusting yourself, angel.”
Later,when the weight of it all feels like too much, Everett pulls me onto the couch, the movie flickering across the screen just an excuse to exist together. My head rests against his chest, his arm looped around me, steady as always.
I tilt my face toward him. “Everett?”
“Yeah, angel?”
“Why don’t you work?” I hesitate, my cheeks heating. “I mean… I’ve never seen you at a job. I just wondered.”
His chest rumbles with a low chuckle, though his eyes hold no humor. “Because I don’t have to. I made enough money playing pro ball for nearly fifteen years. Football gave me everything I thought I wanted. Fame. Money. Then it took everything back in an instant. After the accident…” His voice trails off, the shadow of grief flashing in his eyes. He swallows hard, then looks down at me. “I didn’t need to work, so I didn’t. But I also didn’t know what the hell to do with myself. I’ve been drifting ever since.”
I touch his jaw, forcing him to meet my eyes. “Until me?”
He nods once, no hesitation. “Until you. You gave me something to fight for again. You gave me purpose, Bri. You gave melife.”
My chest squeezes, and I press closer, soaking in the warmth of him, the truth in his voice.
For the first time in a long time, the future doesn’t feel terrifying. It feels possible. It feels like ours.
CHAPTER 96
Everett
The lake is calmthis morning, glassy under the rising sun. Mist curls along the water’s edge, and the smell of wet earth mixes with the faint tang of bait.
Grayson hands me a rod, his expression already serious, like fishing is a damn mission. I take it, settling onto the edge of the dock beside him.
“Patience,” he mutters, casting his line as smooth as muscle memory. “That’s the key.”
I raise a brow. “Patience isn’t exactly my strong suit.”
“No shit.” His mouth twitches, but he doesn’t look over. “You love my daughter like you fish, you’re gonna scare her off. She’s not a prize to snatch up fast. She’s a catch you wait for. Gentle. Steady.”
I grip the rod, line dangling in the still water. My throat tightens, but I keep my voice even. “She’s worth the wait. I can be gentle and steady for her.”
He finally glances at me, observing me. After a beat, he nods once, like that’s enough.
Then he surprises me with his next words. Words that nearly break me.
When he’s finished, I look over my shoulder. Bri is sitting outside at the patio table. She’s nervous, her words stuttering at first as she does an online therapy appointment. I can’t make out every word, but I hear the tremble, then the steadiness building beneath it. She’s fighting for herself.
Pride swells in my chest, raw and fierce.
Grayson reels in a little slack, the corner of his mouth curving. “Tough kid. Gets that from her old man.”
I snort. “Old man, huh? I’d describe you more as a stubborn bastard.”
His laugh is low, rough, and real, carrying along the breeze.
Time drifts by in silence, broken only by water lapping at the dock and the occasional tug on a line. For a while, it feels like peace.
