Page 113 of Fight For Me

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

She shrugs. “You clearly didn’t want me to know.”

Guilt swirls in my stomach. “Ididwant you to know. It was so awful that I couldn’t talk to you about it.”

She pats my shoulder. “I knew you would tell me when you were ready.”

I sigh as my eyes fill yet again. This crying at everything is starting to get old. “You’re a really good friend.”

She kisses my cheek. “Let’s finish your hair.”

“Personally, I don’t see what the big deal is,” Aunt Paige says as she scoops a chunk of cookie dough out of the ice cream. “Who cares if our families are close? You’re not actually related. I have every intention of Nix marrying one of my girls, you know.”

“Mom!” Everly shrieks. “You can’t arrange a marriage for your kids!”

Aunt Paige shrugs. “Says who? If Nix marries Presley or Santana, Karen and I will be family. Like, officially family. For realisies.”

My mom looks at her best friend with an equal measure of fondness and exasperation.

“Everly,” Rose interrupts, narrowing her eyes. “What other secrets are you keeping?”

Everly gives an evil grin. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Downstairs, the doorbell rings. We all ignore it, figuring my dad will get it. Rose and I badger Everly to tell us what she knows while she gets back to my braid. Rose has just started to employ a tickle torture strategy to get her to spill—making Everly squeal in my ear—when we hear raised voices downstairs.

I lock eyes with my mom. Dad is yelling. Heneveryells. There’s only one person I can think of that would draw that kind of response.

“Holy crapola,” Everly whispers. “Is hehere?”

We all move at the same time to dart out of the room, getting caught in the doorway when we all try to pile through. I manage to push my way out first and I skid to a stop at the top of the stairs. I can’t see into the foyer from here, but I can certainly hear them.

“…lot of nerve!”

“I understand you’re upset, Levi.”

Oh my god, thatisWyatt. Behind me, I hear the girls whispering but I try to block them out so I can hear.

“Of course I’m upset! I trusted you. You were supposed to protect her, not send her home with a broken heart!”

“I know.” Unlike my dad, Wyatt sounds calm and steady. I want to close my eyes and soak up the sound of his voice. It’s been less than twenty-four hours but I already miss it so much. “I handled some things very badly.”

There’s a beat of silence. “That’s all you have to say?” my dad finally snaps. He sounds pissed. Even worse than he was earlier when he was blasting Black Sabbath.

Wyatt’s voice remains calm. “I have a lot more to say. But with all due respect, Levi, I’m going to say it to Alexandria before I say it to you.”

“You think I’m going to let you talk to my daughter?”

“I do. Because even though you’re angry, I know you respect her enough to let her make her own decisions.”

“I know what you’re doing,” Dad growls. “Don’t fucking manipulate me, kid.”

Wyatt sighs. “I’m not trying to do that. I just want—”

“Maybe she doesn’t want to talk to you, did you think of that?”

For the first time, Wyatt’s voice is less than steady. “If Alex asks me to leave, I will.”

My feet are moving before I even make the decision to go down there. I pound down the stairs, heart galloping out of my chest. My breath catches when he finally comes into view, standing just outside the front door. His eyes lock on mine and I can see that they’re red.