Page 110 of Shattered Skull

“I’m so confused, Everly.”

His eyes swelled with tears, and I looked away.

“I’m sorry.”

I dashed for the bedroom door with my bag in hand, but before I could make it, he reached out and stopped me.

“Just wait!” he barked. “I can’t fix it if I don’t know what’s wrong. Please talk to me.”

I ran my hand down my face and cleared away my tears.

“You can’t fix this, and I refuse to make you choose.”

His eyes filled with tears yet again, and when one slipped out and rolled down his cheek, my heart shattered into pieces.

“Baby, please. Just tell me what’s happening. It doesn’t matter what it is. I choose you always. Always, Everly. Don’t leave me.”

I walked away from him, making my way into the living room to grab my purse and my keys. He followed me and stopped me again before I could go out the front door.

“Is there someone else?” he asked, his eyes going wide and rage beginning to build.

Yes.

There was someone else, but not the way he was thinking. Still, if it meant he would let me walk away without a fight, I would tell him whatever did the trick.

I swallowed, my throat going so tight I felt like I was going to choke. And then I opened my mouth and uttered words I knew would ruin all the happiness I had found in my life.

“Yes, Aiken. There’s someone else.”

He reared back as if I had slapped him. The hurt in his eyes was devastating, and I felt sick knowing I had put it there.

Then something amazing happened. The pain in his eyes faded away, and his brows dipped low as anger filled his expression. Aiken slipped to the background, and Skull stepped forward. The side of his mouth tilted up in a hateful smirk.

“Then what are you waiting for,” he spat. “Get the fuck out of my house.”

I gasped at his words, my chest caving in, and my soul sprinting from inside me. I nodded, taking in his face one last time since I knew I would never see him again. Then I turned and walked away, leaving my love and my heart at his feet so he could stomp all over them.

39 Aiken

I COULDN’T BREATHE.I walked around every day, feeling like I was suffocating. Two weeks passed, and all I had left of Everly was a hole in my chest the size of her tiny fist, and a picture of the two of us from prom tapped to my mirror taunting me.

Still, I couldn’t find it in myself to move the picture or rip it up. I needed to see her face, and that was the only way I could.

She looked beautiful—her auburn curls shining and her skin glowing against her emerald green dress. We slowed danced, and I held her in my arms and looked down at her knowing I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.

That night had been everything to me, and yet, the next day, she had woken and tossed us away like we were nothing.

Another fucking man.

Of all the ways I had thought our relationship would end, another man had never crossed my mind. Not my Everly—my sweet virginal angel. I didn’t think she had it in her, but evidently, she did.

I didn’t look for him, whoever he was. I didn’t dig to find out who he was because I knew if I did, I would kill him. I would place my gun against his forehead and look him in the eyes when I pulled the trigger.

As badly as she had hurt me, I couldn’t do that to her. I couldn’t hurt Everly. Even though she shattered me beyond repair, I would let her go without revenge because that’s what you did when you loved somebody more than yourself.

“You gotta snap out of it, bruh,” Saint said, passing me a blunt.

I waved it away and stared at the bikes racing down the strip.

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