Page 38 of A Damaged Soul
"Sure you're entitled to it, but I can guarantee this won't be the last time something happens. Are you going to feel the same way the next time or even the time after that?"
A slap across the face would've hurt less than what this man was asking me.
"I thought you didn't know much about his job?"
Zack let out a humorless fake laugh. "I might not have known who my brother was working for but I know Black. I know what his company does, and the risk is always there, so before you go back in there, you need to decide if this is something you can handle or not because I won't let my brother get hurt."
With that, Zack walked past me and headed straight into his brother's hospital room. While I was left to decide what kind of future I wanted.
One with Rhett or one without.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Rhett
I was having a staredown with Black when Zack came back into the room.
Alone.
"Where's Elle?"
As usual, my brother was blunt when he answered. "Making up her mind."
"About what?" I tried to sit up more in the bed, but my ribs ached from being broken. I forced myself to push down the pain as I maneuvered on the bed until I was no longer partially lying down like an invalid.
"About whether or not she can handle this kind of life with you."
I felt like my brother sucker punched me, and maybe he did because those words were a hit straight to the gut.
"What did you say to her?" I growled, or at least I tried to. My throat was still a little dry, and it felt more like razor blades were attacking my esophagus than anything.
"Nothing she didn't need to hear," Zack fired back.
"I understand you're pissed about me hiding my career, but that gives you no right to push Elle away from me."
"You're damn right I'm pissed." Zack took a step forward, and there was no mistaking the fire in his eyes. "You should've told me, at the very least, what you were doing because I would've understood. I would've tried to convince you not to, but at least I would've understood."
"That's exactly why I didn't tell you. I didn't want you trying to talk me out of it. You don't know the shit I saw while I was deployed."
"Of course I don't because you never spoke about it," Zack hollered.
"Because you didn't need that shit in your head about me. You were starting a life with Leslie and having babies. You didn't need my dysfunction piled on top."
"Don't you dare bring Leslie and the kids into this. You know damn well I would've been there for you, no matter what."
I sighed. "I know you would have, but I didn't want that."
"Why not? It's what family does."
And that there was the million-dollar question. The one I didn't really have the answer for. Luckily it didn't matter because the door swinging open stopped all conversation.
"Am I interrupting?" Elle slipped into the room and looked pointedly at all three of us.
Yes, Black was still in the room being privy to my family argument. Such was my life these days apparently.
"No," I was quick to tell her.
I waited––not so patiently might I add––to see what her next move was going to be. Was this the moment where she told me it was too much, and she couldn't do it. Not that there was anything between us yet but friendship. I realized in that moment, I wanted there to be even if I felt I didn't deserve it.
