33. Gerald
GERALD
Everything hurt.
My jaw.
My ribs.
My pride.
Especially my pride.
Darren sat beside me in the truck, staring out the passenger window like he had suddenly decided silence was safer than breathing.
Smart.
For once.
The courthouse disappeared behind us.
The judge's words still rang in my ears.
First-time offenders.
Bond granted.
Restraining order.
As if a piece of paper could stop me from seeing Sadie.
As if anyone in Eagle River could tell me what I could and couldn't do.
I gripped the steering wheel tighter.
Darren glanced over.
"You need to calm down."
I turned my head slowly.
He immediately looked back out the window.
"Don't tell me to calm down."
"I'm just saying—"
"You got caught because you panicked."
His mouth snapped shut.
Good.
The idiot had been useless from the beginning.
We drove past the diner.
And that was when I saw them.
Sadie.
And him.
The giant Ranger.
They stood outside near the sidewalk.
Too close.
Her hand was in his.
His hand was wrapped around hers like he owned her.
Like he had any right.
My chest tightened.
The sight made something dark crawl beneath my skin.
Sadie laughed at something he said.
Actually laughed.
Like nothing had happened.
Like she hadn't spent years telling me she loved me.
Like she hadn't promised me forever.
Darren noticed where I was looking.
"Gerald."
I didn't answer.
The Ranger looked up.
Straight at my truck.
Even from across the street, I could see the change in him.
The smile disappeared.
His shoulders squared.
His hand tightened around Sadie's.
He knew.
He knew exactly who I was.
And he wanted me to know he wasn't afraid.
That made me smile.
Because he should be.
Everyone should be.
I drove past them slowly.
Sadie saw me.
Her face went pale.
Good.
At least she still understood.
The Ranger stepped in front of her.
Blocking her from my view.
Protective.
Possessive.
Like some kind of hero.
I laughed under my breath.
Heroes always made the same mistake.
They thought they could be everywhere.
They thought they could protect everyone.
But eventually...
They had to sleep.
Eventually...
They had to look away.
I kept driving.
Past the diner.
Past the ranch road.
Past every stupid little building in this stupid little town.
But I didn't stop thinking about Sadie.
About the way she looked at him.
About the way he held her hand.
About the way everyone had looked at me in court.
Like I was the problem.
Like I was the bad guy.
They had no idea.
Sadie belonged with me.
She always had.
And sooner or later...
She was going to remember that.
Darren shifted beside me.
"What are you thinking?"
I looked at him.
Smiled.
"Nothing."
That was a lie.
Because I was thinking about the ranch.
The back road.
The old barn.
And the one place behind Sadie's house where nobody could see from the road.
All I needed...
Was one chance.