“Let’s go, you little piece of shit.”

Ryder is launching himself at me, but not before taking one last quick glance behind to the hallway that leads to the bedrooms. His hands land on my collar as he grabs it aggressively. I expect him to punch me, but instead he yanks me toward the patio doors. When I aim a fist toward his chin, he dodges my punch.

“Enough!” Savannah screams. One glance in her direction, I notice her covering her ears with her hands and squeezing her eyes closed in anguish.

I grab the door to the patio and pull Ryder outside with me. Once we get there, his hands are back on my collar. We struggle with each other as I finally overpower and his back is against the wall.

“We can do this, but not here with the ladies,” I say finally.

“I agree!” he says with a struggle, trying to peel my hands off his shirt. “I’m not trying to fight with you! I just came back to see Hazel. This has nothing to do with you.”

“Why didn’t you come back sooner?” I ask.

“I had something come up. I couldn’t leave.”

“Bullshit,” I spit back.

“I’m being fucking serious, Murph. What do you think? I was blowing the cash? Hazel knows everything!”

“Knows what?”

“You think I’m going to tell you? Fuck you! All that matters is that Hazel was in the know the whole time. I don’t owe you shit.”

Finally, after sensing some sincerity, I let him go. He shoves away quickly and walks into the house without another word. I follow him inside, looking for Savannah by the liquor cabinet, but she’s gone. I don’t bother saying a word to Ryder as I stomp up the stairs toward the bedrooms. Her door is already closed when I reach the hallway.

Irritation turns my blood as I go to my room, pulling off my stupid jacket and slacks like they did something wrong. When I crawl into bed, I know it’s no use. I won’t be falling asleep anytime soon with this rage flooding my system.

It’s about an hour later when I hear my door open and her feet pad quietly across the floor. She crawls into my bed without question, laying her body straight as a board next to mine. She doesn’t reach for me or flex her limbs around mine.

“Hey,” I whisper, turning my head to face her. She doesn’t rest her head on my arm, even though I’m holding it out for her.

She stares at me, her eyes brimming with moisture. “I didn’t like that,” she mumbles, her voice shaking. “I didn’t like...seeing you like that.”

“Ryder just…”

“I don’t care. It doesn’t matter what makes you act like that, just that you did…”

“I’m sorr—”

She cuts me off. “Don’t say you’re sorry. I hate that phrase.”

The silence feels heavy, the only sound coming from the fan that spins overhead.

“Jesus, I fucked up. You don’t understand. He’s…”