Messy Love(98)

“Fuck!’’ I cursed with a yell and punched him in the nose.

His groan didn’t soften my anger, nor was the blood that coated my forearms and our clothes. I punched him again and again, my eyes taking in his lip that split, the bruise that darkened his cheekbone, the gash in his eyebrow.

He moved and went to point his gun at me again, but I was faster. I twisted his hand and snatched the gun and pointed it at his head. Under me, he stopped moving and held up both hands.

I shook so much I didn’t think I’d be able to get to my feet. The gun trembled, my aim was so faulty if I had to take a shot and I wasn’t on top of him I’d probably miss.

I glanced over my shoulder to check on Marissa, and I found her on her feet, eyes glued to me.

“You okay?’’ I asked, panting. At her nod, I took a deep breath in what felt like forever. “I have my phone in my pants. You need to get it to call my dad.’’

She turned around and showed me her hands tied so tightly I saw welts around her wrists. That sight made me tighten my grip on my father’s throat and press the gun harder against his sweaty forehead.

“Son—‘’

“Shut the fuck up if you know what’s good for you. You’d have put a bullet in my girl’s head and mine. If I were a monster like you, I’d do the same, but I’m not. I’m a Burton, and Burtons are good people.’’

His sneer and curses didn’t faze me. I looked back at Marissa. “I can’t let him go. He’ll charge us.’’

“I’ll fucking kill you like I killed your whore of a mother.’’

My muscles seized then, and my face snapped to his. The blood on his mug showed me the monster that laid under the wrinkles, gaunt face and perpetual smirk that complemented the bad vibe in his eyes.

“What did you say?’’ I shook my head when he opened his mouth to spew more filth. “Never mind. I’ll learn everything soon enough once your ass is in jail.’’

Without looking at Marissa, I nodded at the door still wide open. “Leave, sweet thing. There’s a diner three buildings away. When you find someone, tell them to call the cops and ask for the detective Danny Burton.’’

She walked to me, and in the corner of my eyes, I saw her shaking her head no. “Trust me, sweet thing. Once again, trust me. I’ll be okay, and I won’t screw up my life any more than I already have because of him.’’

On a sob, she ran out, and I relaxed a little more. She would be safe. She was saved.

“I’ll always be in your veins, Wyatt,’’ he snapped in a strangled voice as my grip around his throat didn’t permit a lot of air to pass. I didn’t ease up my grip. “My blood runs through your veins, and you can’t escape it.’’

“I’ve lost many nights of sleep because of you. I’ve pushed people away because of you. I’ve been afraid to be abandoned for years because of you. Not anymore. Blood isn’t more important. You’re worth nothing because you’re nothing to me.’’

He went to talk again, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I knocked him out with the gun and welcomed the silence punctuated by my heavy breathing and his slow and even one.

A good man would have tuned him out and waited for the cops. I still had work to do on myself to be a good guy, but in the meantime, I didn’t think I was so bad.





MARISSA


I was trembling against Wyatt as we waited in one of the interrogation rooms at the police station. We had been talking, repeating and rehashing everything to some of Danny’s colleagues as they noted and recorded everything.

I wasn’t ashamed to be in shock because that was what was happening. As soon as they had let Wyatt in the interrogation room they kept me in, I sobbed and face planted against Wyatt’s chest. When his big and warm arms closed around me, I let go completely. We’ve been like this for minutes now, and finally, I started to calm down, but I didn’t stop shaking.

“I’m so fucking sorry, sweet thing. So sorry,’’ he repeated and tightened his arms around me as if he wanted to protect me from the whole world at once.

What I wanted was to get inside him to never leave, listen to his heart beating so wonderfully under my ear and feel his warmth against me.

We both came out alive when I was sure we wouldn’t. He saved us, and he didn’t let his demons win either.

He came out the bigger man, and I loved him more for that.

“It’s not your fault,’’ I whispered, my voice too scratchy from crying. I pulled away to look at his eyes also bloodshot. “Tell me you know it’s not your fault.’’

“I should have known he’d come after you. I—‘’

“You can’t possibly think like a monster when you’re not, Wyatt. You saved me, saved us. Don’t let him win now.’’

He cupped my face, and I perceived the slight trembles in his hands. I put my own over his and closed my eyes.

“I won’t, Marissa.’’ He pressed his forehead against mine and took a deep breath. I did the same. It didn’t matter that we were dirty from rolling on the floor in that apartment or that we smelled like blood and sweat. We were here, together and alive. I had never felt this light, not when I woke up from my coma or when I got back my full mobility after months of hard work. “Two women saved me, you know. Lydia Burton gathered my scattered pieces, and you put them back together.’’