Page 23 of All I Have Left

For a long time, I put my life on hold for Grayson. I stopped living. I thought I lost the only love story I would ever have, before it began. But here it is, right in front of me, staring back at me, willing me to finish and get to my happily ever after.

The applause brings me back to reality. Everyone is clapping except Shane—who has a very tight grip on my hip. It’s as if my hip is being pulled by a vise grip. I try to move, but he holds me in place. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“You’re hurting me.” In my second attempt to pull away, I fall to the ground .

At first I think he’s stunned that I fell in front of everyone because he stares at me, his expression wavering between anger and humiliation. Not for me falling, but that his so-called girlfriend is the center of attention by another guy.

Blinking quickly, he reaches for my hand, but then bursts out laughing. My eyes flick to Lance who’s beside him, and he joins in.

Embarrassment heats my cheeks. I press my hands into the dirt, willing myself not to react and make a scene, but I also can’t make myself get up off the ground. Maybe I belong here now.

Shane reaches for me to help me up but I shake his hand off, getting to my feet on my own as Ethan comes barreling toward us.

Knowing what’s going to happen, I face Ethan and hold my palms up. “It’s fine.” And then I step toward him. Shane hooks his hand around my elbow. “Where are you going?”

“Shane, please don’t,” I cry, though it comes out half-strangled, humiliated that everyone is staring at us now. I wrap my arms around him, as if this is a misunderstanding.

Holding me against him, his lips meet my ear and he walks us backward. “You’re not leaving with him.”

“She’s not leaving with you,” Ethan growls. Josh materializes out of nowhere to stand beside him threateningly. Awesome. So much for not wanting a fight.

Shane doesn’t ease his grip. “Yeah, she is.”

In the next movement, Shane attempts to pull me away, but I trip again and face plant in the gravel.

Two familiar arms reach for me and then I’m pushed into Josh.

It takes only one punch from Grayson before Shane is on the ground.

Grayson doesn’t waste any time; instead, he picks Shane up off the ground and slams him into the side of the bathroom walls we’re standing next to.

“Told you…,” Frankie whispers, coming to stand next to Josh. She brushes my hair from my face and tears off my cheek. “Are you okay? ”

I nod, momentarily distracted by the way Grayson looks. Although livid, he’s incredibly hot, breathing heavily, the muscles in his chest flexing. His furious expression makes it hard to focus on anything besides him.

“Get the fuck off me!” Shane yells at Grayson, struggling to get loose, his arm pushing against his chest. There’s no use. He’s not getting away from Grayson.

And knowing Grayson, he won’t let him go. Not until someone stops him.

With another shove, Shane’s head snaps back against the wall. Grayson’s words are pushed out between clenched teeth when he says, “She may be sucking your dick right now, but she belongs to me.”

“Grayson!” I yell, but he doesn’t stop. Instead, he presses harder on Shane’s windpipe smashing his head against the bricks.

Shane smiles despite the blood pouring from his nose. “Yeah, she’s suckin’ it all right.” He gives Grayson a hard shove, but it doesn’t get him anywhere but slated against the wall again. “Ya jealous, soldier boy?”

“You’re such a goddamn pussy,” Grayson growls, yet surprisingly controlled, his bloody white knuckles fisting tighter in Shane’s shirt.

And then comes his next words, and I’m not sure he means for me to hear them, but I do.

“I had her first.” He presses harder, slamming his balled fists into Shane’s chest. “Guess who fucked her first? Me. I fucking had her first. Not you. Me! And I will get her back.”

Heat rushes my cheeks. He had me first? How could he have said that? That’s not something I would have ever thought he’d say.

I look to Ethan and then Frankie. They both stare at Grayson as if they can’t believe he said that either. It’s just… not like him at all.

Shane spits blood in Grayson’s face. “And then you bailed.”

“Let go of him!” I grab a hold of Grayson’s shirt, but it doesn’t do anything in the way of movement .

When he finally does look over his shoulder at me, I wish he hadn’t. There’s so much disgust in his eyes it makes me feel dirty and used, thrown away as if I’m not good enough for him, or anyone else. “What the fuck do you see in this piece of shit?”

At first, I don’t say anything because I’d never heard Grayson talk to me this way or act this way. I’ve seen him pissed before, but not like this—drunk and acting like a lunatic.

“Just let him go.” I drop my eyes from his, afraid of his reaction. “It’s not worth it.”

“Not worth it?” He snorts, disgust thick in his voice. “Tell me, Evie.” He pushes against Shane again, his eyes intent on mine. “How long has he been treating you like shit?”

If only he knew it’s so much worse. But it’s not that I’m focused on. It’s the fact that Grayson can’t let this go. It’s the fact that he referred to fucking me in front of my brother. I’d never heard anything so disgraceful from him.

I take a deep breath and prepare myself for what I’m about to do. “Let. Him. Go.”

Josh comes up behind Grayson, his hands on his shoulders and yanks him back. “Okay, you made your point,” he says, nodding toward the bar where Quinten is making his way toward us.

Grayson sighs and then shakes his head as he holds up his palms to me. “He may not be worth it, but you are. You’re fucking worth it , Evie.” And then he stares at me, breathing heavily, waiting for me to say something.

I let out a short, defeated sigh and look down at my hands.

“Let’s go,” Shane barks, drawing my attention to him. He reaches for my hand and yanks me to his side.

I shake my head, trying to blink back tears. They burn, much like my need to escape. I pause, searching for the right words, but there are none. Nothing I say will make this situation any better.

Grayson remains completely silent. His eyes follow the tears rolling down my cheeks, ones I didn’t want to let loose. I watch as he swallows, his eyes full of shock now.

“Evie, seriously,” Frankie whispers, as though she knows what I’m doing and takes a step in my direction. “Don’t go with Shane tonight. Come home with us.”

I look back at Grayson. His jaw clenches tightly, his glare on Shane and then back to me. Can’t he see in my eyes I’m screaming for help on the inside?

Please hear me! Fucking hear me!

Of course no one does, because I haven’t told them. I’m constantly pushing everyone away. Why the fuck should he listen to me?

Without words, he turns and walks away.

Shane holds me closer, his mouth at my ear. “If you ever talk to him again, I’ll kill you myself.” Fear jolts through me in waves. Because for once, I think maybe that’s better than this. Maybe it’s easier.

“I am not letting you leave with him,” Frankie demands, refusing to leave my side.

“Doesn’t look like you have a choice.” Shane snorts, a condescending smirk on his face as he wipes blood from his mouth with the front of his shirt.

In the distance, I can vaguely make out Grayson’s figure in the parking lot. Josh turns to face me. “Evie, are you okay?”

Shane tightens his grip. “She’s fine here with me.”

Josh steps forward, a deadly, sinister expression I haven’t seen in a while torturing his face. “I wasn’t fucking asking you, asshole. I was asking her.”

Shane’s entire body vibrates with anger, his arms wrapped around my shoulders from behind. “Go ahead then. Ask her. Pretty sure she’s with me.”

“I’m fine, guys.” I step back with Shane. “I’m going with him.”

I don’t look at anyone else. I don’t listen to Frankie screaming at me or my brother threatening Shane. I walk away because it’s easier.

Once in Shane’s Mustang, we sit in silence, neither one of us speaking. His hands are shaking with anger as he tries to wipe the blood pouring from his nose. “He broke my goddamn nose!” he shouts, slamming his hands against the steering wheel.

I have no idea why or where it comes from, but I laugh. It’s certainly not funny, but it’s a reaction. One that earns me my fate.

Shane’s hand connects with my left eye and lower lip. “Shut the fuck up, you stupid cunt.”

It takes me a moment to comprehend what happened. You would think, by now, I would be used to it.

Letting out a shaky breath, I reach for the door handle when Shane’s hand clasps my arm forcefully. “You get out of this car and I will see to it that you never get into his,” he growls, his eyes so dark and menacing in the low lighting of the car.

I cry, harder than I ever have in my entire life. It shakes through me. Convulsive almost. This is my nightmare. Stuck on repeat.

Please wake me up from this dream because I can’t take it anymore.

The thing is, it’s not a nightmare.

It’s a reality.