I don’t deserve her. I never did.
Drawn by the promise of blood and drama, people are pouring out onto the roof, pushing and shoving to get closer. The bouncers will be here in a moment to break up the throng, and likely the cops as well.
“Carly, get her out of here,” I shout, looking away. “Before it gets any uglier.”
I hear a muffled argument — one fighting to leave, the other fighting to stay — but don’t allow myself to look back. Carly will take care of her. And frankly, I’d rather deal with Lincoln’s wild rage than the fucking heartbreak of watching Felicity walk away from me for the last time.
“So you can screw me over but you can’t hit me like a man?” Lincoln is up in my face. “Come on! If you’re gonna fuck me over, I might as well see it coming!”
“I’m not going to fight you, Linc.” Blood falls like raindrops from the tip of my nose. I’m completely sober, but my words are slurred when they come out of my mouth — probably from my split lip and spinning head. “I’d kick my own ass if I thought it would fix this.”
“There’s no fixing this,” he seethes, lifting his fist again.
Aiden holds him back with a steely grip on his bicep. “That’s enough, Linc.”
They both stare at me. I’m sure my face looks like pulverized steak, swollen and raw. I vaguely notice Lacey has vanished, always one to save her own skin when the fists start flying.
“You and me?” Linc spits. “We’re finished.Done. If you’re looking for your shit from the loft, you can find it in the dumpster outside. Have a nice life.”
He turns and stalks out.
Aiden pauses for a beat before following him. His eyes are sad. “If it’s any consolation… I know why you did it, man. I just don’t know how you’re going to live with it.”
Then, they’re both gone.
I stand alone, bleeding and broken.
No family. No friends. No Felicity.
Only my dreams for comfort.
Funny how empty they feel, when there’s no one to share them with.