“Did you know she was going to do this?” I ask, barely keeping the tremble out of my voice.
“No. I talked to her before I talked to you. You were a dick, and I figured she wouldn’t jump back into bed. But I swear she never gave me the impression she was going to sever all ties, dude. I would have actually pleaded your case for you if I had thought for one second that was a possibility.”
I open my eyes, finding my vision to be a little blurry. Maverick has put two boxes on the counter. One is a lot larger, almost the size of four shoe boxes combined.
“I can talk to her for you—”
“I need you to go, Mav,” I whisper hoarsely, moving over to the small box and running my fingers over all the small carvings.
I trace the one in the center. It clearly says Ruby loves Corbin even though the markings are amateur. I can tell she was young when she wrote this.
“Let’s get some drinks and order some food,” Maverick goes on.
It feels like someone is slowly carving my heart out with the dullest knife they could find when I see Ruby Sterling carved into another section. Again, I can tell she was younger when she carved that one as well.
Having these… It really means…
My eyes close again, and I take four really deep breaths, doing all I can to control my temper.
“No. Go,” I say in a rasp, barely-there voice as I flip the latch up and slowly lift it.
“Corbin, we should—”
“I said fucking go! Not now, Mav. Not now.” My voice turns from a yell to a choked up whisper, but Maverick finally leaves.
Just as the door shuts, I find the closest thing to me, which happens to be an almost empty bottle of Jack. I launch it across the room, and it shatters against the wall. I watch as the shards rattle against each other before they settle and silence envelops the room.
I slide down the wall, and my palms go to my eyes. My hands start to get wet when I do something I’ve never done before in my life.
I fucking cry.
CHAPTER 41
RUBY
“You’re sure you don’t mind keeping Krysta for a few days?” I ask Wanda, trying to smile, but finally giving up.
“I’m sure. You worry about you, pretty girl. I’ve got this.”
Trying not to touch the tender area where my newest blue flower has been added, I give her a thankful smile and get out of the car. Krysta forces a smile for my sake, and I silently say a prayer that one day Cassie feels the pain she’s put us through.
As Wanda drives off, I head inside my house, but I immediately stumble to a halt when I find a motionless Corbin Sterling lying face down on my foyer floor.
“Corbin!” He doesn’t even stir when I call his name, and I flip him over, checking for a pulse.
My entire body relaxes when I realize he’s just out cold. A bottle of liquor is empty and sitting beside him, which has me groaning. I’m not spending my morning pouring coffee down his throat. I can’t even stand to be around him right now, because it physically hurts.
“Ruby,” he says softly, pulling my hand in his as he snuggles closer.
“Yeah. I’m here,” I mumble, sitting down as I pull out my phone and text Maverick.
ME: Corbin is passed out in my house. Please come get him.
Almost immediately I get a response.
MAVERICK: Fuck. I’ll be right there.
Corbin curls his head into my lap, and my hand hesitates over his head for a few seconds before I finally blow out a breath and run my fingers through his hair. Together, we’re destructive. Apart, we’re broken. There’s no way to fix us.
He continues moving until his arms are wrapped around my waist. Even in his drunken sleep, he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. It’s heartbreaking.
It seems like an eternity before I hear a car pull up, but finally Maverick walks through the unlocked door. He sighs when he sees Corbin’s limp body now tangled around mine completely.
With watery eyes, I meet his gaze, and he just stares at me.
“Can he stay here and sleep it off? Maybe you two should talk.”
“I thought you understood,” I say in an uneven, broken tone.
“I understand you not running back into a relationship. I don’t understand you trying to cut him out of your life. That’d be like me cutting him out of my life, Ruby. It’s a surgical procedure at this point with consequences you’re not considering. Look at him. Look at you. Neither of you want this.”
My heart hurts in my chest when Corbin whispers my name again in his sleep, which has me turning all my attention to him. A few tears fall as I continue to run my fingers through his hair, feeling how much it’s grown in the past few weeks.