I lean back against the driver’s side door, crossing my arms over my chest. “There won’t be any fighting. Me and her are good.”

He raises a skeptical eyebrow. “Really? We’re talking about my sister, right? Tessa Kelly?” He holds his hand out, palm down, at chest height. “About this tall, red hair, wanted nothing to do with your ass before I left the state?”

I flip him off and he laughs, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Jesus. I was gone for two days. What the hell happened?”

“A lot, actually. Some really fucked up shit went down with that guy she met up with at the bonfire.” He studies me, waiting for me to expand on that statement. I reach up and scratch the back of my head before continuing. “So, you know I went to that stupid thing, ’cause I fucking had to. I tried to keep your sister from leaving with him, but I’m sure you can imagine how that played out.” I grip the back of my neck, squeezing to relieve some of the tension. “I was so fucking pissed. I should’ve just thrown her ass in my truck, but I just said fuck it, and I went to leave.”

A short laugh bubbles in my throat, and I see his forehead crease with confusion. I shake my head. “I couldn’t leave, man. I sat there like an asshole, because after a year, I’m still completely strung-out on her. And you know what? It’s a good fucking thing I am, because if I would’ve left, I never would’ve gotten that asshole’s tag number to run in our system.”

“He had priors? We looked him up. There was nothing on him.”

“That’s ’cause we were looking up the wrong guy. Either he gave her a fake last name, or she lied to you about it, ’cause he had domestic charges against him.” I drop my head, my eyes losing focus as I hear a faint “motherfucker” coming from Ben. “I went straight to her apartment, out of my mind, fucking praying she was there with him. He was choking her when I got there, and I almost killed him.” I look up. Ben’s eyes are filled with rage. “I wanted to kill him. If Tessa wasn’t watching me, I would’ve done worse than break that fucker’s wrist.”

Ben inhales deeply through his nose, his chest rising then falling, before he speaks. “She’s all right? She’s not hurt?”

“Her neck is sore. She has some bruises on it, but she’s fine.”

“And him? You actually broke his wrist?”

“Yeah.”

He drops his head into a sharp nod. “Good. Those assault charges will get plead down in court.”

“Yeah, but he had drugs on him too, so he could get a year for possession, maybe eighteen months with the first-degree assault added to it. He’s at least looking at some jail time.”

Ben runs a hand down his face before pulling his cell phone out of his pocket and looking at the screen. “He’s lucky. If he weren’t locked up, I’d hunt his ass down and rip him apart. I wouldn’t give a shit about my job.” He looks up at me, clutching his phone in one hand and placing his other on my shoulder. “Thanks a lot, man. You didn’t have to go to that bonfire.”

“Yeah, I did,” I counter as he drops his hand. I see the smirk twisting across his lips and shove him out of the way so I can open my door. “Fuck off. I’m not as pussy-whipped as you are over Mia. I just did what I had to do.”

He steps aside, laughing. “Call it whatever you want. The only difference between me and you is that I wasn’t scared to admit how I felt. Not to myself, or anybody else. I didn’t give a shit who knew how crazy I was about Mia.”

“Tessa knows how I feel.”

“Does she?” He looks at me straight on, dropping all humor as I settle into the driver’s seat. “I’m sure she knows you care about her, but she doesn’t how you feel. She won’t, not until you tell her, and don’t make her wait for that. I made that mistake with Mia and I almost lost my chance.”

I grab the door handle to pull it closed, but he stops it with a hand gripping the edge.

“What are you so scared of, Luke? That all the shit you’ve been through is too much for her to deal with? Do you think she’d run from that?”

I glare at him, feeling my nostrils flare. “She doesn’t need to know about all this. All this shit—it’s mine. It’s my fucking burden, and I won’t make it hers. I let her in as much as I can, and it has to be enough because that’s all I can give her.”

I see him struggle with his next words, or maybe he’s struggling with mine. Either way, it takes him several seconds before he nods his understanding. “Well, for your sake, I hope it’s enough for her, because you’re a miserable piece of shit without her.”

I let out a breathy laugh, and he does the same. “Yeah, well… fuck you.”

He laughs harder and allows me to close the door.

I can’t argue with Ben. He’s right; I have been a miserable piece of shit. I read once that addiction is hereditary, a crutch you inherit that’s ingrained in your genetic makeup. It would make sense; explain the starving compulsion I’ve had over the past year. My dad might be dependent on alcohol, but I’m at the mercy of Tessa Kelly, and right now, I’m going to feed my obsession.

***

Tessa’s car isn’t at my house when I get there, which doesn’t completely surprise me. After I let Max outside, I drive over to her apartment and knock on the door. I hear a muffled “hold on,” followed by the clicking sound of several locks being turned.