Changing Course (Wrecked and Ruined #1)(92)

Eli steps up into my line of sight, blocking out the rest of guys. “Just calm down Sharp. We’re clearing some of the tenants out of connecting apartments, and informing everyone else to stay inside. Once we get that done, I’ll go reevaluate how Sarah’s doing. See if I can get her talking again, maybe get some info about Jesse.”

I release a loud breath, this is not the time to lose my shit.

“Yeah, okay. Did anyone get in touch with Jones?”

“Not yet.”

“Find him. She’s terrified of him. He might be able to freeze her up long enough to buy me some time to get in there.”

“You’re not going in there, Brett. You’re too emotionally involved.”

“Go f*ck yourself Eli. If it was Casey in there, you’d be tripping over your own dick, busting down that door. You’re going to have to shoot me to keep me out.”

I know I shouldn’t have mentioned Casey. It was low, but f*ck him. He thinks we don’t all know he’s still pinning over her. Hell, he was dumb enough to think no one knew they were f*ck buddies. At least that’s the way Casey, Sarah’s best friend, classified their relationship. The look on his face right now proves that he was slightly more attached.

“You’re a dick. This isn’t your call, so stay away from that door or I really will shoot you.” He walks back to the huddle of uniforms surrounding a squad car.

“Brett!” Kara yells running in my direction. She doesn’t slow down as she gets closer, and crashes into my chest. I pull her close, and silently hold her for a few seconds.

“What’s going on? No one is telling me and they keep trying to get rid of me. I’m not leaving. Tell them I can stay.”

“Sweetheart, you really should leave, there isn’t anything you can do. I’ll make sure nothing happens to Jesse.” I’m such a f*cking liar. I can’t control this anymore than I could control Sarah’s accident.

“No! I’ll stay out of the way. I’m not leaving until I know she’s alright. You didn’t see the look on Sarah’s face. It was really scary.”

“Okay, just go sit in my car. Turn the heater on and stay out of the way.

“I’ll sit on the trunk and stay out of the way. I want to be able to hear if anything happens.”

“It’s going to be okay, Kara. I’m not leaving here without her. I just got her. I’m not about to let go.” I give her one last squeeze before gently pushing her toward my car.



Jesse

“SAY GOODBYE.”

“I can’t.”

“You don’t have a choice. None of this was ever up to you. It’s time.”



Brett

THE SOUND of a gunshot pierces through the otherwise silent afternoon air. No one is sure where it was aimed, but I know for certain where it originated. Ignoring the rush of officers headed to stop me, I take off at a dead sprint to Jesse’s front door. Sarah can kill me if she wants, I don’t care anymore. But I’m getting Jesse the f*ck out of there first. I storm the front door drawing my gun.

“Sarah, open the God damn door! Sarah…” I don’t get another word out before a vase filled with daisies comes flying out the window slamming into my shoulder.

“You don’t love her! You love me,” a guttural scream rips from her throat.

“No I don’t! Right now, I really f*cking hate you! Give her to me. You can do whatever you want with yourself, but I swear to God Sarah, if you harm one f*cking hair on Jesse’s head there will be hell to pay.

“Why would you send her flowers?” she begins to cry.

Obviously the pissed off route is getting me nowhere, so I decide to change tactics.

“Please just tell me she’s okay. Sarah, if you ever loved me, I need you to let Jesse go.”

“Why, so you can have your happy ending and I get nothing? You can’t leave me!” she shrieks.

“Where is she, Sarah? I’m not going anywhere. I won’t leave you, I swear. I just need you to let Jesse go, so you and I can have a conversation about us.” The word ‘us’ feels disgusting rolling off my tongue. There is no us. I reach down to re-holster my gun. I won’t shoot her and deep down I know she won’t shoot me either.

“Sarah, I’m coming in.” I reach through the shattered window, turning the deadbolt to unlock the door.

Just as I begin to twist the lock from the inside, Sarah screams and does the one thing I never thought possible. She aims at me and pulls the trigger.



Jesse

“THANKS FOR going with me today, baby girl,” Caleb says as we finally head back to my apartment.

It’s been a rough of a day and I’m exhausted, both mentally and physically. My eyes are painfully red from crying, and although I’m sore from sitting on the cold, hard cemetery ground, Caleb needed me today. He needed to say goodbye to Manda once and for all, but he needed the push from an outsider to finally do it.

We sat at her grave for hours talking. His emotions were all over the place. He slid from despair to longing then somehow ended up pissed off. He said he wanted to let her go, and I think he meant it. I don’t think he even realizes how stuck he is. My relationship with Brett has forced him to realize there really is something missing in his life. He wants to move on, but he’s still so angry about losing Manda, he can’t see past it and into a future. God, it was horrible to watch. He’s always so strong and to see him so lost, sitting while tracing the name on her headstone. It was heartbreaking.