Page 58 of Fracture

She doesn’t want you.

Vinnie ran until sweat poured off his body and his muscles screamed at him to stop. He slapped the stop button to bring the belt to a halt, accepting he’d fall if he didn’t stop soon. Having her return with him crumpled against the wall was not going to change her mind about him.

Nothing would.

Vinnie stalked to the shower. He didn’t want Lorelei to come back when he was in there, so he rushed through his second shower of the afternoon, then stretched out on the couch.

It was a dick move, but it was his only move. She couldn’t sleep there with him. But if he went to the bed, she would crawl in next to him.

He couldn’t pretend he was okay. He had to put distance between them again. She was going to leave, and she was going to leave soon. He had to protect himself from it. Leave first. Make sure she didn’t have anything to hold on to.

He gritted his jaw and told himself it was for the best. She deserved more than he could offer her. The sooner she realized that, the better it would be for both of them.

Vinnie was almost asleep when he heard her key slide into the lock. He sucked in a breath and waited, not moving. He left the light on in the bedroom for her so she could see, but she would notice him on the couch.

Another voice outside told him Lorelei wasn’t alone. Karli. Her family. The person who should be taking care of Lorelei. Not because he didn’t want to, but because people counted on family. Or so he heard.

“Is he asleep?” Karli whispered.

“It looks like it.”

“Are you sure you’re okay here?”

“Yeah. He’s a good man.”

“I know that, but do you really want to be here? After that memory came back, you know me again.”

Her memory came back? Vinnie wanted to sit up and ask her about it, wanted to find out everything.

But he didn’t. If her memory came back, she would definitely be leaving soon. She would know she could trust the others and make the only choice that made sense. She would go stay with one of them.

“I do know you, but I also know him. I want to be here. I’ll be fine. I promise. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Okay. Good night, cuz.”

“Good night.” Lorelei closed the door and locked it.

Her silence, and the tingle traveling up his spine, told Vinnie she was watching him. Trying to decide if he was really sleeping or just faking it.

He didn’t move.

After a few minutes, she let out a breath and moved away from the door. The clack of her crutches was quiet and slow. Retreating to the bedroom.

A door closed, but the light didn’t dim, so it was likely the bathroom. Vinnie cracked his eyelid and looked. The bathroom door was closed.

Vinnie shifted quietly, trying to settle the restlessness he felt. He wasn’t one to avoid problems. He preferred to handle things. But nothing felt normal with Lorelei. He was equal parts scared of losing her and aware he would.

He fucking hated it.

The bathroom door opened. Her crutches carried her a few steps out of the bathroom, then stopped. She was watching him again.

He didn’t move. Again.

“I wish you were awake so I could talk to you,” she said. Her voice was a normal tone. She wasn’t trying to be quiet. She was trying to wake him up. “Hopefully, I can tell you about my day in the morning.”

Vinnie held his breath. He ached to hear what was going on with her. To have her tell him about her memory and her day and her cases.

But he didn’t move. She chose Adam and Karli to share with. He offered to help her with her cases, and she chose them. He understood. He wasn’t mad. Hurt, yes. But not mad.