Page 107 of Up In Flames
“I haven’t lost untilhesays I have.” His eyes flit to Taylor before finding mine again. “Yes, I made a mistake. But seeinghim again reminded me of everything we had, and now that some time has passed, I think we can figure out how to make it work. I’ve always been what’s best for him.”
“You’re not even what’s best for adog!” I yell, right before I punch Patrick square in the jaw.
Suddenly, Taylor’s angry voice cracks through the air behind me.
“Fuck you both. Maybeyou twoshould date each other.”
I step away from Patrick and refocus on Taylor.
“God, I’ve missed that sass,” Patrick says with a breathy sigh, despite his bloody lip.
“Don’t,” I snarl with a finger in his face, gearing up to go again.
“Well, as much fun as this pissing matchisn’t, I’m going home with Livvy. Knox, I’ll call you later.”Call me?No, he’s supposed to gohome with me. I don’t know when it happened, but it’s no longer home if he isn’t there. In fact, whether it’s his apartment or my house,myhome is wherever Taylor is. “Patrick,” Taylor continues, now looking at his ex, “since my last forty-five texts went undelivered, I assume you blocked me. I returned the favor when Knox and I began dating. You had your chance to make it right, and you didn’t, but this was really helpful in helping me move on, so…thanks for that. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
I can’t let him leave like this. The slight tremor in his voice tells me he’s far more upset than he’s letting on, and Patrick was wrong. Taylordoesfly out in the morning, so if we don’t figure this out tonight, it’ll be three days before we see each other face-to-face again.
I can’t live like that.
“Taylor, wait,” I call, jogging to catch up to him. My stomach lurches when he jerks his arm away from me.
“I’ll call you when I’m ready to talk.”
“I know you’re upset, but please don’t leave like this, baby.”
“I AM A FUCKING ADULT!” he shouts, getting more pissed off.
If he gets in that car, his thoughts will send him places full of lies, and while I’m learning to trust Livvy, she isn’t me. And despite Taylor being an adult, he needsme.
Unhelpfully, my brain adds,or you need him to need you because you’re still just as fragile as he is.
“Tay, don’t leave me. Not like this.” I’m embarrassingly close to tears as I choke the words out, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and torso to halt his progress right as Livvy yells, “Knox,DON’T!”
Taylor reacts so quickly, I don’t stand a chance.
He clutches his own wrist, bends his elbows, trapping my arms against his chest, and widens his stance before stepping to the outside of my left hip. Simultaneously, he leans forward, knocking me off balance, and then throws his hip into me as he jerks upright.
Despite our massive size difference, I get thrown behind him and land on the pavement with a thud, the wind completely knocked out of me.
Before I can even register what the fuck just happened, his knee lands on my chest, and I don’t recognize the emotion in his eyes as he says, “You wouldn’t let me talk, so now you’ll get my silence,” before he stands up and walks toward Livvy’s car, taking my bleeding heart with him.
I can’t even watch them drive away because my body hurts so fucking badly. Patrick moves closer and extends a hand, but I bat it away from me. I willcrawlout of this parking lot before I accept his help.
“Don’t ever cage him in. His black belt isn’t just for show,” Patrick says, clearly gloating with his knowledge of Taylor. Ididn’t even know Taylorhada black belt, and that hurts worse than the beating my body just took.
I’m slow in getting to my feet. Pain lances my chest, ribs, hips, and heart.
And all I can think is,he’s leaving me.
Taylor doesn’t callor text, and by eleven the next morning, I know he’s airborne. My texts to him have gone unanswered, as have my calls, and I’m back in my own personal hell.
In an attempt to prevent total self-destruction, I cave and text Phoenix, which does little to help.
Knox
Taylor left.
No goodbye. No conversation.
