Page 101 of The Best I Never Had

Please forgive Owen and Addy. This was all my idea.…

… Addy is incredible and shouldn’t be punished for being born into my family …

… manipulated Owen into the lie so I could make some extra money …

… You can accept Addy into your family knowing you’ll never have to see me again.…

“When did she give you this?” I ask, my voice so harsh that Mom jumps.

“Last night.”

“What time?” I yell, and she flinches.

“I don’t know. Around nine?”

When I saw her in the hallway. She already knew she was leaving, and she didn’t tell me. But of course she wouldn’t. She knows I’d never let her walk away, not like this. Not when she’s throwing herself under the bus so Addy and I don’t have to deal with the consequences.

She’s gone. She’s gone, and I can’t breathe. I don’t know where she is or how to get to her. My fierce warrior—who fights for everyone but has been told she’s not worth fighting for—is heartbroken and alone. I brace my hands on my knees, trying to get air into my lungs.

I never should have left last night, should have known she’d do something like this. If I’d been thinking clearly, I’d have spent the night running my fingers through her curls, telling her every little thing that I love about her. All the big and little ways she makes the lives of everyone around her better. That if she weren’t here, these mountains would lose their luster, everything dimming to black and white. I should have fought for her like she fought for me and Addy.

That’s what I’m going to do now. I don’t care if it disrupts the wedding, if it forever alters the way my family looks at me. I’m going to get her back, and then I’m going to spend the rest of my goddamn life making sure she knows there’s at least one person who will fight for her, who would burn the fucking world down to make sure she’s safe and happy.

I run for the door, ignoring Mom calling after me. My feet skid on the carpeted hallway when I come to a stop at Addy’s door. My fist comes down so hard on the wood that the whole thing shudders. I only make it five seconds before knocking again.

“Addy, open the goddamn door,” I call out.

Harrison pops his head out of the room next door. “What the fuck, Owen?”

I bang on the door again, barely sparing him a glance.

When I lift my fist again, Harrison grabs my shirt, pushing me against the wall. “You lie to us, fuck up my wedding, and crush my future wife, and then think you can come up here like this?”

My blood is roaring in my veins. “I’m sorry for the lie, and I’m sorry for what happened last night.” I don’t sound sorry, and Harrison raises a brow. “I’ll give you the apology you deserve later, but I can’t do this right now.”

“I don’t care if you can’t. You’re going to.”

“Thea needs me. What would you do if Addy needed you?”

I’m desperate, begging him to understand. I’ve seen how much he loves Addy, the things he would do for her. If anyone can get how I’m feeling right now, it’s him. Harrison’s jaw tightens, but he nods as Addy’s door swings open. She’s in her robe, fresh-faced and still wiping the sleep out of her eyes.

My mom rushes down the hallway to us, huffing out a breath. “Owen, what is the meaning of this?”

I hold the papers out to Addy. “Read.”

Her eyes skim the paper, going wider with each second while I dig my phone out of my pocket to try Thea. It goes straight to voicemail, and I scream in frustration.

“Where did you get this?” Addy asks, her voice wobbling.

“She dropped it off with my mom last night.” I dial Vaughn next, and he picks up on the first ring. “Where is she?”

“She’s gone,” he says. “Addy told her to leave.”

His words land like a match to gasoline. I’m a living flame, and I’m going to burn everyone down with me. I jab at the phone to put him on speakerphone. “Say that again.”

“Owen, come o—”

“Fucking say it, Vaughn.”