Until the End (Sea Breeze #9)(24)

I didn’t smile. Not because my lip was hurt but because Rock didn’t understand the truth in his comment. I had to protect Krit. Letting him trust in Rock was a bad idea.

“He thinks you’re going to save us. I don’t need you to encourage that idea. He’s been let down too many times. I won’t let you do that to him too.”

Rock stared at me for a moment, and then he walked over to the bed. His finger traced the side of my head gently. “You’re worried about me letting him down. What about you?”

What about me? I was sure it would break my heart when Rock walked away from this. But I was tough. I could deal with it. My brother had emotional issues that I didn’t have. He lost it and became uncontrollable crazy when things were too much for him.

“I know you’ll leave. I don’t have any grand illusions. In real life there are no heroes.”

Rock didn’t reply at first. He continued to trace the side of my head and rub his thumb and forefinger over my ear in a caress that felt soothing. “One day, Trisha Corbin, you will call me your hero. And that day will be the most important moment in my life.”

Rock

She hadn’t woken up all night. Several times I had watched her chest to make sure she was breathing. Fandora hadn’t come home, and Krit had already stuck his head in here once this morning to check on her.

Lying on my back, I had both my hands tucked under my head as I watched her sleep. Three hours ago I had heard Dewayne and his dad come get my dad’s truck to take it back to the house. I had called Dewayne when I had gone out to my truck last night. I hadn’t wanted Trisha to hear me.

Dewayne’s dad had left me one of his work trucks he didn’t use every day. The keys were hidden under the backseat. He wanted me to have some way to get around in case we needed to get Trisha back to the doctor or needed to escape. I hated telling Dewayne the truth, but I knew he’d help me.

Trisha’s eyes began to flutter, and I was mesmerized. Slowly her one good eye opened. She focused on me and a smile touched her lips. It was a small smile. One that wouldn’t hurt her split lip. I sat up and reached for the salve the doctor had suggested for her lip. “Your need some more of this,” I told her as I stayed on my knees so I’d be at eye level with her.

“I can do it,” she replied in a sleepy voice.

“I know you can. But I can see it better.” It wasn’t the best excuse, but I wanted to do this.

She lay there as I applied the soothing cream over her battered lip.

Last night after I’d told her she’d call me her hero one day she hadn’t said anything else. The room had gone silent until the soft sounds of her sleeping met my ears. I’d watched her sleep and reassured myself she was okay. I had found her, and everything was going to be okay now.

No more letting her push me away. She could push all she wanted, but I wasn’t letting my damn ego and pride get in the way. Trisha wasn’t trying to make me prove anything to her. She wasn’t moved by jealousy. Those weren’t games she played.

If I wanted her, and I did, I would have to do this on her terms. She didn’t trust me. She was cautious and expected nothing from anyone. Being treated poorly was what she expected. So if I acted like a jackass, she accepted it as fate. All the stupid shit I’d done trying to get her to give in had only pushed her further away from me.

“Is Krit awake?” she asked.

“Yeah, he’s in the living room watching television,” I told her.

She frowned. “Fandora?”

“Not here. Never came home last night.”

She let out a sigh of relief. “Good. Do you have a way to get home?”

Here we go. She was now ready to kick me out. She was protecting Krit. I understood her now. “I have a truck that Dewayne left me. But I don’t need it. I’m not leaving.”

She didn’t say anything at first, so I stood up and started folding up the comforter and blanket I’d used last night.

“Fandora will come home today. She will expect you to be gone, so she’ll return,” she said as if she were warning me away from something I didn’t already know.

“It’s her trailer. I expect she’ll come back,” I agreed.

I put my bedding in the corner neatly.

“She won’t like you being here.”

She’d be pissed. I expected that. But I wasn’t scared of a crazy-ass evil bitch. “I’m sure she won’t. But she’ll have to get over it.” I didn’t wait for her to argue. “I got a Gatorade out of my truck last night and put it in the fridge. I’m going to go get that and let you take your pills. Then I’ll fix you something to eat. What sounds good? You want something soft?”

“Uh, yeah,” she replied, frowning at me.

“I’ll see what I can find. You like eggs?”

“Fandora doesn’t buy eggs. Toast and butter or cereal.”

She wasn’t arguing with me. I felt like I had won a prize.

“I’ll bring both. We will see which one works best.”

I left her in there before she could decide she needed to kick me out again.

Krit looked up at me when I walked into the living room. “She awake?” he asked.

“Yeah. She needs to eat. What’s her favorite?”

Krit shrugged. “She doesn’t have a favorite. We don’t have a large selection. She’s just happy when we get food. Lunch at school is the highlight of her day.”