I had her on the back of my motorcycle again. When I pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex, I revved the engine as loud as I could. I was a total asshole for doing so, but I figured a grand entrance was called for.

Bella pointed to where to park, so I did.

The funny part was we were there to pack up her shit and leave. But with a motorcycle, that wasn’t possible. So the plan was to make an entrance, grab some stuff, and then let Parker (and Abby) know that a truck would be coming for the rest of everything. I was there to be the intimidating muscle who was fucking Bella to get her over Parker. Which wasn’t far from the truth.

I killed the engine on the motorcycle and reached into my pocket. I took out a diamond ring and held my hand out.

“What is that?” Bella asked, stepping back like I had a poisonous spider in my hand.

“Wasn’t sure whether you wanted to play this again or not.”

“You bought a ring?”

“Yeah.”

“Is…is that a real diamond, Zayne?”

“Yeah. I wanted it to be legit.”

Bella looked at me. Then at the ring. Then at me again.

“What are we…never mind. I think we’ll skip that for now, Zayne.”

“Okay,” I said. I stuffed the ring into my pocket.

Yeah, fine, I bought a diamond ring with the sole purpose of giving it to Bella. What did that imply? I had no fucking clue. If she put the ring on, did that make it a real proposal then? For actual marriage?

Shit, I really hadn’t thought it through.

And the look on her face proved that one.

Bella walked forward and I grabbed her arm. “Hey, if I pissed you off…”

“No,” she said. “Let’s do this.”

“Okay.”

I opened the door and held it for Bella. She looked flustered and nervous. I wasn’t worried. A guy like Parker was probably some punk-ass excuse for a man. I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d done to Bella. How bad he’d hurt her. And the fact that he did it for so long and then tried to play it off as a one-time mistake to confuse her broken heart even more.

By the time we got to the door, I was ready for a fight.

Bella stuck a key in the lock and it worked.

For some odd reason that bothered me. It hit me in the gut in a way I didn’t expect. Because it proved Bella had somewhere else to live. A different life she lived and could still live.

Bella opened the door, and I followed.

“Oh, hey, Bella,” a voice said.

Then I saw him.

Parker.

This tall guy with a clean-cut face, perfect-looking hair, and clothes too fancy for just being in his own apartment. He froze when he saw me, his eyes growing a mile wide. I had height and size on him. And, yeah, I was sizing him up for a fight.

“Parker,” Bella said. “This is Zayne.”

“Right,” he said. “The moving guy?”

I grinned. “Not quite, man.” I put my arm around Bella and pulled her tight. She put her head to my chest. “Any questions?”

“Plenty,” Parker said.

“I’m sure I have a few myself,” I said.

Bella patted my chest. “We’re not here for that. I just wanted to pack up some stuff. Figure out what’s mine. We have a truck coming. Can’t take everything on a motorcycle.”

“A motorcycle?” Parker asked.

“Yeah,” Bella said.

“That sounds dangerous.”

“Nothing wrong with a little danger,” I said.

I walked with Bella and stopped for a second to glance at Parker. His pretty-boy face was turning a little red with anger. His lip curled at me.

“You’ve got nothing on me,” Parker whispered.

“Except your woman…I’ve got her on me almost every night.”

“Come on, Zayne,” Bella said.

I looked back at Parker as I walked down the hallway. He then got a cocky grin on his face. The little shit was up to something.

And we found out what that was a few seconds later.

Bella opened the door, and there was a woman in the bedroom.

Oh shit…

Bella released her hold on my arm and my shirt.

She stepped forward, shaking her head. “Seriously, Abby?”

Abby turned and looked right at us.

There were tears running down her cheeks.

* * *

We didn’t get to touch a single thing in the bedroom. Instead, Bella stormed out to the main area of the apartment. I let her go, hoping she would attack Parker.

“I hate you,” Bella said. “You knew I was coming, and you set this up.”

“And you brought a boy-toy,” Parker said. “Trying to make me jealous?”

“Call me a boy-toy again,” I said. “I’ll break you in half.”

“Stop this!” another voice yelled.

Abby came running down the hallway.

This was definitely not what I’d come expecting.

Parker leaned against a wall and folded his arms. He was so cocky it pissed me off.

Bella stood there facing both he and Abby.

Abby kept her distance from them both. She touched her eyes, wiping away tears. I wondered if they were just bullshit tears.

I approached Bella, wanting to be at her side, but part of me wanted her to fight this battle alone. Show her strength to these two morons that hurt her.

“Why are you crying?” Bella asked.

“I’m done with it all,” Abby said. “I can’t feel this way anymore.”

“See?” Parker asked. “You thought we were the monsters? We’re not. I’m going to lose the two people I love over this.”

“You did this,” I said.

Parker looked at me. “Really?”

“I’ll smack the fucking grin off y-”

“Zayne, stop,” Bella said. “No more.”

No more?

She put a hand out. She didn’t want me near her.

I respected that.

“You’re done?” Bella asked. “Done as in, what…? You feel guilty now? After all you did to me?”

“I didn’t mean for it to happen like this,” Abby said. Then she threw her hands up. “God, listen to that. It’s so fucking cliché. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”

“Abby,” Parker said. He reached for her, but she moved away even more. “Christ.”

“Look what you did,” Bella said.

“Me?” Parker asked. “Sorry for following my heart! Especially after you let yours go crazy, Bella.”

“Crazy?” she yelled. “You took everything from me, Parker. I didn’t know what to do!”

“So you lost yourself. And I found someone else. And it got messy.”

“Fuck this,” I said. “Bella, don’t buy this shit for a second.”

“Who in the hell is this guy?” Parker asked. “I mean, is this real, or did you pay him to come here? Suck his dick or something so he acts all tough?”

I charged toward Parker.

Bella got between us as he casually stepped away.

Bella grabbed my shirt. “No, don’t—I’m sorry, Zayne. You shouldn’t have come.”

“What? I thought we wanted…”

“No.”

“We wanted,” Parker called out. “Oh, shit. So you’re here to make me jealous, huh? Not going to happen.”

“You broke her heart,” I said to Parker. I looked at Abby. “And you did, too. Her best fucking friend.”

“I know that,” Abby yelled. “You don’t think I felt it all those times?”

Bella shot a glare over her shoulder. “All those times?”

“Bella, stop acting like this,” Parker said.

“Don’t listen to him,” I whispered. “You came here for a reason, darlin’. I’m here for you. Whatever you need. They don’t deserve you, Bella. Nobody deserves you. You’re too good and beautiful for this kind of shit.”

“Sweet-talker,” Parker said. “So, you ran off and fucked this guy, huh?”

“I’m going to hurt him,” I said.

Bella pushed at me. “No. Go home, Zayne.”

“What?”

“Go home,” Bella said. She looked up at me. “I’m sorry. Just go home. This was a bad idea.”

“I just wanted to talk to you again,” Abby said. “I wanted to show you that I was wrong. I feel bad.”

“She’s right,” Parker said. “Abby broke up with me. And I’ll honor that, Bella. For you.”

Bella swallowed hard.

She was hurt. She was confused.

“Ah, darlin’, I can’t leave you here like this,” I said.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she said. “Thank you for everything. I have to figure this out alone.”

“Alone? Or with them?”

“Tell you what,” Parker said. “I’ll walk Zayne out, and you and Abby can talk.”

“Please, yes,” Abby said. “Just you and me. No more lies.”

Bella just kept looking at me.

“Really?” I whispered.

“Please, Zayne,” Bella said. “I’m sorry for this. Let me take care of it. I have to know everything.”

“He’s going to go after you again,” I said. I knew I sounded jealous, but I didn’t give a shit.

“That’s not why I’m here,” Bella said. “Just go.”

She pushed away from me.

I stood there like I really didn’t belong there.

“You heard her,” Parker said. He walked to the door and opened it.

Bella walked to Abby and told her to sit on the couch. She listened. Bella stood and looked down at Abby.

“I want to hear it,” Bella said. “The whole story.”

“Okay,” Abby said. “I promise. And I’m telling you, Bella, it’s over. I couldn’t stand myself to keep this going…”

Abby sucked in a shaky breath.

Parker cleared his throat.

My time had come.

Bella didn’t even look at me when I exited the apartment. I thought we were going to walk in there, flirt and touch, drive Parker and Abby crazy the way we drove Steph crazy at the wedding. I was going to help her pack up a couple bags and then take her back to my place and celebrate between the sheets.

Instead, I was alone.

“You gave it a good go,” Parker said to me.

I snapped.

I turned and grabbed his shirt, twisted my fist, and slammed him against the wall.

“You’re a piece of shit,” I said.

“Hit me. I dare you.”

“No. I won’t do that. I don’t hit bitches.”

Parker snorted. “You’re the bitch here. She used you to get to me. Which is fine. I’ll get what I want. And you are right…I am going to go after her. She’ll listen to me.”

“No she won’t,” I said.

“Says the guy who’s leaving all alone.”

I pushed my fist tighter to his chest. Parker winced in pain. I gritted my teeth, but finally, I let him go. Fuck, I wanted to punch him so bad.

But I held back and got the hell out of there.

I couldn’t believe I was on my motorcycle, riding solo.

If this was what Bella needed, then so be it. I respected it. I loved her for it.

Fuck, I loved her.

I fell in love with her. We were just killing time together, figuring out what to do next in our lives. And here I let her twist up my heart.

It hurt to cruise away without her behind me.

I didn’t even make it back into Hundred Falls Valley before I knew what I do to next.

I pulled to the side of the road.

I called Tate.

“This doesn’t feel good,” Tate said as he answered.

“I’m out,” I said.

“Just like that?”

“Just like that,” I said.

I ended the call.

Then I called Tilly.

It was time to cash in on that plane ticket to Miami.