Page 111 of Her Ex-Husband's Brother

BUT I’M HERE.

I cry and cry and cry and for the first time in days, feel like myself again.

TWENTY-NINE

AUGUST

I’ve beenthrough some hellish times in my life. But nothing has felt more tortuous than the last week, not knowing what the hell is happening to Lennon in that house with my brother.

I’ve tried to respect her wishes.

It’s the only reason I haven’t broken down that front door.

But I have not been making exactly… sane decisions either.

Case in point: me sitting here in the rental house beside hers and Jake’s, barely having slept, with binoculars pointed at what Ithinkis her room.

Jake leaves the house every morning, but on Tuesday, I saw a light flick on, then quickly off in the small upper window that I assume is a bathroom window. After he left. My half-mad brain thought she was sending a signal before I remembered, wait…she has no idea you’re here.

Because I’m a creepy stalker who’s rented the house next door to watch her without her knowing it.

Look, I would have told her I was here if I could have.

I just freaked out as soon as the car drove off with her at the thought of her going back to live with my brother.

He made everyone think I was the crazy one our whole lives. And it’s infuriating because, well, I ama littlecrazy. I’ve learned to embrace and reclaim the label, but only because I know it’s nothing like what my brother and mother meant when they said the word all those years.

I’m not a lunatic.

I’m a well-medicated, well-regulated human being with a mood disorder that I am conscientiously taking care of. And I havetwopeople in my life to fight for. That’s my stability for now.

Yes, I took a week off work, and I might need more, but I called Mack so he could get the receptionist to reschedule my appointments. As for Owen… my chest clenches.

Priscilla temporarily rescinded visitation rights because of what Jake did. I’m giving her time to cool off, so she doesn’t take it to court. I know that’s what Jake expects her to do, and what maybe her father and Trent are pressuring her to do on her end, too.

I can’t control that.

I can only stay cool and not freak out on her about it.

I sent her a single text telling her I love Owen more than my life, and my brother attacked me, not the other way around.

I told her I’ll wait for her to tell me what she wants to do. She knows my family can be different than they appear, because we both met in that hellhole where our families sent us.

In the meantime, Owen is safe.

Lennon is not.

So when I searched for short-term rentals near her and Jake’s house and found one right next door, I took it as a divine message… Look, I did say I wasa littlecrazy.

“So you’re in the rental property across from her house right at this moment?” Dr. Delaney says on the computer screen.

The binoculars are on the table beside me, but my eyes are still locked on the closed curtain. “Yes,” I say distractedly.

“August,” Dr. Delaney says, and I see his fingers are steepled when I glance back at the screen. “I can’t say I’m unconcerned. You were hospitalized four days ago and now your behavior could be interpreted as stalking your ex-girlfriend… who also happens to be your brother’s wife.”

I shrug, eyes moving back to the window. “Yeah. But he’s an evil bastard. She’s not safe with him.”

Dr. Delaney is quiet for a long moment, long enough that I look back at him. “Are there any other possibilities that might explain the current events?”