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“I will talk to him and get you out of the debt. You shouldn’t have to pay it back like this,” I snap, my mind already retreating back into my father’s office, so I can rip him a new asshole. Until I feel her soft hand grab hold of my arm.

Her eyes are wide, looking just as innocent as she did all those years ago. “Please, don’t. I need to pay the debt off in my own way.”

I shake my head aggressively. “No, you don’t. Why the hell didn’t you just come to me? I would have given you the money, no strings attached.”

A short, sharp laugh rips from her lips, as she sneers at me. “We weren’t exactly talking, Evan. It’s not like I could just call you up and ask for a favour.”

“That’s exactly what you should have fucking done. I would have helped.” I may be an asshole, but I know without a shadow of a doubt that I would have helped her in any way I could, no matter how hurt my feelings were after she left me.

“I didn’t know that. I wasn’t exactly thinking straight. Besides, it’s over now. I’m getting my debt paid off, and that’s it. I didn’t even think I’d have to see you, since you don’t come to the club often,” she adds, like it makes a fucking difference.

She wanted to hide this from me, and that makes me want to smash my fist into the wall beside her head.

“Oh well, if I wasn’t supposed to know, I’m sorry for ruining that. So stupid of me to attend a family event in my own fucking home,” I snap, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

Teigan rolls her eyes, the same way she used to, and my heart aches. She looks so much like the girl I used to know, only now she’s all grown up. She grew up without me, and I don’t really know anything about the woman standing before me.

“Look, if you don’t mind, I have a job to do, and it sounded like you do too. Your father insisted I do this job as overtime, paying off a good chunk of the money I owe, but I won’t agree to any more jobs here. I should have thought about you when I agreed. I’m sorry I didn’t,” she replies, and it feels like she stabs me through the heart.

“Why the hell would you think of me? You poured alcohol over my heart years ago, and set it alight, watching it burn as you walked away. You didn’t give a shit about my feelings back then, so why the hell should you care now? Do whatever you need to do with my father, but stay the fuck away from me.”

I don’t give her a chance to reply; I swing around and storm off in the other direction. I want nothing more than to cast a glance over my shoulder, to see if she feels anything, but I know it will only hurt me more.

I’ve spent the last seven years building walls around what’s left of my heart, and she’s the only person who knows how to pull them down. So you can sure as shit bet I’m not going to let her near enough to hurt me again.

No matter what else I do, I have to forget all about Teigan Murphy.

- PRESENT DAY -

“Hey, asshole. Are you going to hog the treadmill all fucking day?” shouts a loud, annoying voice from beside me, startling me from the pit of darkness that was consuming my mind.

I look over to the right, where the noise came from, whilst making sure not to lose my stride as I continue running. Bright blue eyes look up at me through floppy dirty-blonde hair, and that fucking cocky grin makes me want to hit him. It’s too early in the morning to deal with Kian and his attitude.

“I’m running,” I grunt, not missing a stride as I continue looking ahead.

I’m not sure how long I’ve been running for. My calves and thighs are burning, and every time I inhale it feels like blades are slicing at my lungs, but since I can still breathe, I’ve clearly not been here long enough.

I always take to the treadmill first, running until every muscle in my body hurts. It’s the only way I can silence the thoughts in my head. Ever since I found out that Teigan belongs to those fucked up perverts, I can’t stop reliving every encounter we’ve ever had, since she came back into my life at Liam’s engagement party almost three years ago now.

I don’t think back to before when we were together. Despite it being the happiest time of my entire life, ten years is a long fucking time. There’s no point reliving the past when those two people don’t even exist anymore. But the time since she came back into my life is fair game.

I think back to that first meeting, and the blazing row I had with Father after the party. I asked for him to free her of her debt, but he wouldn’t. I asked to buy her debt, so I could pay it back for her, but again, he refused. I raged so much that he eventually confessed it wasn’t his choice to make.

Teigan knew I’d ask for the debt to be forgiven, and she’d made it clear under no circumstances was that allowed to happen. Stubborn fucking woman wants to pay it off herself, with no help from me.

At the time, though, I was furious, so I let her do it. I’ve always let her get away with too much—that’s why she’s my weakness. But with the gift of hindsight, I know I was wrong. I should have fought her more. I should have been more insistent. If I had, she’d be far away from here—safe. Instead, she’s at the mercy of some of the most fucked up men in the country, and I have no idea how to save her.

“I can see that you’re running, dick. What I asked is when you will be done! You’ve been hogging the damn treadmill for almostan hour and a half now. I want to get a run in before the meeting in half an hour,” Kian grumbles.

My step falters just slightly, but I recover quickly. “What meeting?”

I agreed to stay at Bree and Liam’s house so that I could be nearby for the meetings. I want to be here when decisions are made, so we can come up with a plan to free her. But all this sitting around, twiddling our thumbs while sitting on our asses, is driving me fucking crazy. Exercising until I can’t feel the pain anymore is the only way I can keep sane. Even if it means being surrounded by far more people than I’d like.

“Bree heard back from that Sheriff dude. He wants to meet. We’re meeting to go over the plan,” he replies, waving his arms around dismissively.

I don’t actually have a problem with Kian. I don’t know him all that well, but he seems like a decent guy—in small doses. And definitely not when I’m in the mood to stab someone. His perky attitude grinds on my last nerve, but I concentrate on my breathing as I try to drown him out.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” I snap, trying not to let it get to me that they’re clearly not keeping me in the loop.