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Back Where There's A Will Save as PDF
Chapters (39)
  1. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  2. PROLOGUE
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. Interlude
  37. Acknowledgements
  38. Content Warning
  39. About the Author

With no other objective than to one day get out, get out, get out, I no longer had room in me to miss what was no longer there. To ache for someone I no longer deserved, and never would again. Because he was gone, and my dad was still there, and I had no one and nothing to rely on but myself for years.

I growl, “Don’t fucking touch me ever again.”

Then, like the weak piece of shit I’ve always been, I take off running.

The crack in his voice as he calls out my name rips through me like a gunshot. Something terrible and aching gives way in my chest, and I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe—

My vision tunnels.

I don’t know or care if he follows.

I don’t remember the run home.

His face after I shoved him is the last thing I see before everything goes blessedly black.

14

14

Will Foster

It’s Saturday night, and the Lost Boys are currently halfway through their first set.

So far, it’s been relatively calm on the security front, and I can’t decide if I’m more grateful or bored. Then again, the night is young, and at least I have the added benefit of good music and the promise of free drinks in my near-future.

“Here.” A sealed long-neck appears in front of me gripped by sharp black nails.

Yeah, unfortunately not that near.

I arch a brow down at Ivy. “Nice try.” We both have to yell to be heard over the blare of the speakers and din of the crowd.

“One beer won’t kill you.”

“Noted.”

A wayward body suddenly comes sailing in right at that moment, shoving Ivy into my chest. I manage to catch the bottle before it smashes to the ground, just as I manage to catch Ivy before she face-plants the edge of the stage.

“Nice save,” she remarks dryly.

“Imagine if my reflexes weren’t in prime condition,” I say loudly into her ear.

What I don’t tell her is that I’m trying to be on my best behavior after last night’s disaster. Mason didn’t seem to give a shit I was riding a good buzz, but I really don’t want to set that kind of precedent. Especially tonight, when they actually need me to be on my A-game.

Ivy rolls her eyes at me but I don’t miss the way she fights a smile. Pushing off my chest, she tosses her hair over the pale jut of her shoulder and grabs the beer from my hand.

“You drank last night,” she all but shouts.

“Yeah, and? Tonight, we’re at max capacity. Not risking it.”