LIAM

I watched her walk away in shock, right before the pain kicked in. All I could see was red when I jumped out of the truck. I didn’t stop moving until I was right behind her. Grabbing onto her arm, I pulled her back and shoved her against the tree.

“We have already established that I am cocky, arrogant, possessive, and chauvinistic!” I yelled in her face. “And yes, I am pushy, annoying and childish often. But it is because I’m sick of being alone!”

I stopped, blinking a few times before stepping away from her. I hadn’t meant to say that. Fuck. I really hadn’t planned on saying that. I wanted to grab all the words and shove them back into my mouth, however it was too late. What was said could not be unsaid.

“Li—”

“I’m sick of being alone, and I know you are, too, even if you don’t admit it to yourself. I just want to skip this part.” I sighed, looking at her once more before walking into the forest.

I had no idea where I was going, but I just needed to get away from her. If I didn’t, I would say something else, which would be just as dumb. Somehow, my walking led me to a clearing of lavender flowers. They looked so soft that I took my jacket off and just lay down. Was every day of my life going to be a battle? Sighing, I took a deep breath, allowing myself to look up at the darkening sky. Being a city rat, I had never seen so many stars shine from the sky. I wasn’t sure what it was, but all of a sudden, I was drifting off.

I would head to the camp in the morning. Right now, I wanted to sleep in this moment of peace. Making sure my gun and knife were easy to grab, I allowed myself to relax.

MELODY

“Did he ever make it back?” I asked Monte as I looked out of the cabin window. The sun was starting to rise, and I hadn’t moved since I realized he hadn’t made it to camp. That had to be at least nine hours ago.

“No, ma’am. Are you sure you don’t want anyone to search for him?”

I’m sick of being alone! His words echoed in my mind, and all through the night, I couldn’t make it shut up. I had this weird feeling that something was going to happen. My gut told me something was going to happen, but I just wasn’t sure what that was yet.

“Ma’am?” Monte asked me again.

“No, we had an argument. He will find his way.”

“Should I let the men know?” he asked me, and I turned to him, glaring into his eyes. The men were settling fine.

They were already doing what they were supposed to be doing—relaxing, eating, practicing.

They didn’t need Mel and Liam drama right now.

“Ma’am, he’s back.” Monte pointed, and I followed his hand to the man fighting to get flowers off him as he broke through the tress. The idiot fell asleep in the forest. But then again, it was Cascadia. He was fine, nothing ever happened here. Rolling my eyes at him, I turned away from him just as a gunshot rang through the air. I had heard guns go off all night and in the morning, however, this one made me freeze. Every hair at the back of my neck rose.

LIAM

Fuck my back hurts. I groaned as I walked toward the noise. Part of me was so confused and tired that I really wished I had remained sleeping. Had it not been for the damn sun, I could have slept there all day.

Stepping into the campsite, I glanced around at the cabins scattered deep within the forest. My Mel sure knew how to pick a vacation spot. A few men smirked at me, and it was then that I realized I was covered in flowers. Sighing, I brushed myself off quickly before attempting to walk forward. The key word being attempting.

It happened so quickly I didn’t even have time to blink. My body was thrown back at the force of the bullet that collided with my chest. I couldn’t scream. I couldn’t even breathe. All I felt was the pain.

Goddamn it, Neal!

My body began to shake as chaos erupted around me. Eric was beside me in a moment before a scream rippled through the air.

“Liam!”

That was the voice of an angel. My angel. She pushed Eric away from me before falling to her knees beside me. She looked so beautiful. I reached up to touch her face, but when I did, all I could see was the blood on my hands. My blood on my hands.

Mel grabbed the side of my face with one hand and gripped tightly to my hands with the other.

“You’re going to be okay,” she whispered. “I swear. You’re going to be okay.”

She was starting to blur as the pain took over. In the back of my mind, I could feel them ripping my shirt. But in the front of my mind, all I could see was her. She was worried, scared, and caring as she held onto me. I smiled at her and she smiled at me.

“You’re not alone, Liam,” she whispered, and I knew that the pain, the burning in my chest, was worth it. This was so fucking worth it.

I took a small amount of pleasure in the panic in her eyes as mine closed. Half of me felt so bad for causing her pain. The other half knew that we, as humans, sometimes learned the best lessons from pain.

Checkmate.

EIGHTEEN

“There is no greater blessing than a family hand

that lifts you from a fall;

but there is no lower curse than a family hand

that strikes you when you’re down.”

~ Wes Fessler

NEAL

I cleaned my rifle for what had to be the fifteenth motherfucking time as I waited for the sun to come up. I wouldn’t be able to sleep until this was over. Truthfully, I hadn’t slept well in over a decade. Every night since high school, I woke up in the same cold sweat, and every night I would believe it was just a dream until I saw the tattoo on my arm. It was nothing special or fancy. It was just the number 224. The locker I found Liam in. It would forever be burned into my skin and in my mind.

Every night I saw him, this small nerd with messy brown hair and glasses shaking in a locker. He was beaten up badly. He had even pissed himself he was shaking so hard. I was momentarily frozen in shock. I screamed for help over and over again, even when Coach D was already there trying to help him. I just kept screaming until my voice went silent. He stepped in and did what I had failed to do. In that one moment, it was like a sheet was lifted from my fucking face and I realized I was an idiot. I was jealous of Liam. Our father had poured his love into him since the moment he was born. The sun and moon revolved around Liam. Was he all right? Did he take his pills? How far did he walk today? Did you see how fast he read that book? Did you know he understands your homework Neal? Liam this. Liam that. Whenever I needed to speak with our father, he was in Liam’s room. Whenever I need help, he was busy with Liam. Always fucking Liam. I was jealous. He lost his twin, had his shoulder broken, his feet crippled, and small dying lungs, all within hours of just being born, and I was jealous of him.

It didn’t make sense anymore, but back then with a child’s understanding, that’s what I thought. Whenever our mother saw him, she would break down. She would sob and sob then lock herself away for months. I blamed Liam for that. What made it worse was that I truthfully hated myself. I hated myself for not protecting our mother. I was young. I couldn’t do anything, but it didn’t help. It was just easier to blame it all on Liam because it started when he came. So when he was being bullied, teased, or flat-out embarrassed, I looked away. I always looked away until I saw him shaking in that locker, and then I couldn’t look away any longer.