Page 77 of The Deception You Weave

"W-what?"

"Are you going to keep seeing him?"

"I… um… I don't know what happens next."

"I fucking do. It's me or him, Let. If you want him to continue treating you like shit, then I'm not going to sit around and watch when he fucking breaks you into a million pieces."

"You don't mean that," I whimper, already feeling like I'm about to shatter.

"Don't I?"

"Luc, please. It doesn't need to be like this."

"No, it really fucking doesn't," he barks before storming through the door, slamming it so hard behind him that I swear the entire house shakes.

A sob erupts and I cover my mouth with my hand trying to stop it but it's pointless.

My knees weaken and I begin to slide down the door.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

But before I hit the floor, arms wrap around me and I'm lifted into a hard yet warm body.

My sobs get harder as I'm carried to the couch and lowered onto his lap.

"Sssh, Cupcake. It's okay."

Leon rubs his hand up and down my back as I try to get myself together.

"No, no, it's not. He just…"

"I know," he soothes. "He's angry. He doesn't know what he's saying."

"He sounded pretty sure when he gave me that ultimatum."

"He doesn't mean it."

Leon's words don't make me feel any better.

"He sounded pretty sure," I whisper.

"Just give him some time. He's been freaking out that something happened to you, that Kane might have hurt you."

"I know how it looks, Lee. But… it's more complicated than that."

"I'm sure it is."

He lets me sit there while I pull myself together.

"I need to talk to him," I say, pushing from Leon's lap, but his grip only gets tighter.

"Let him cool off. Let him sleep on it. Maybe try tomorrow. He's stressed now the season has started, our dad is on his back. Things are piling on top of him, and you—"

"I didn't help."

"No."

"Shit," I say, dropping my head into my hands. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to—"