The Harder You Fall (Rixon Raiders 3)

It was like all my prayers had been answered.

All but one.

Dad was the biggest surprise of all though. He’d burst into tears, collapsing at the side of the bed when he had entered the room and seen her. In all my eighteen years on the planet, I don’t think I’d ever seen him cry or show an ounce of emotion toward us. His sudden change of heart didn’t erase the past, but it gave me a smidgen of hope, that maybe, just maybe, they could figure their shit out. That almost losing Mom would make him realize that he needed to atone for the sins of his past. Even if we never found solid ground again, I would breathe easier knowing Mom was happy and healthy and cared for.

“I’m so happy for you.” Mya smiled again, a real honest-to-God smile. One that wasn’t tainted by all the pain and heartache between us. It meant a lot.

It meant every-fucking-thing that she was here.

That even after the way I’d treated her, how my father had treated her, and Kellie and Vaughn, and the kids at school; she still cared enough to come and celebrate our good news.

But her smile quickly faded as something caught her eye behind me. I glanced back, narrowing my gaze as Kellie hovered nearby, watching us like a hawk. “What is she—”

“I should go,” Mya rushed out. “Send my love to your mom.” She spun around and took off down the hall toward the front door.

Kellie’s eyes burned holes into the back of my head as I tried to piece together what the fuck had just happened. Mya was running, but I wasn’t sure she was running from me. And if she wasn’t running from me…

Marching up to Kellie, I said, “Did something happen with you and Mya?”

“I’m surprised she was here in the first place.” Kellie twirled a strand of hair around her finger, a flash of contempt crossing her expression. “I mean, doesn’t she realize how sad it makes her look? Not to mention desperate.”

“Excuse me?” My jaw clenched, my teeth grinding together.

“Well, it’s obvious she’s only here because she still wants you. Like that is ever going to happen.” Her shrill laughter filled the air, making me flinch.

“I’m going to ask you one more time, Kellie. What. Did. You. Say. To. Her?”

“Asher, I…” Panic flared in her eyes, but she quickly recovered, smiling at me like I hung the moon. “I was just making sure she knew she wasn’t welcome around here anymore. Your dad would—”

“My dad… what the fuck does my dad have to do with this?” He was at the hospital with Mom. He’d barely left her side since she’d woken up yesterday.

“He came over for dinner the other week, remember? We got to talking and he said he was glad you finally came to your senses about her.”

“That’s all he said?” I gave her a pointed look.

“Well, yeah, I mean, he was upset, and you know how men get when they’ve had a drink or two.” Her laughter was strained now.

“Kellie…” My patience was wearing thin, my good mood quickly turning dark.

“Fine.” She huffed as if I was the one inconveniencing her. “He told my father he was glad you’d finally taken out the trash, okay?”

Anger rippled up my spine, my hands curling into tight fists. “And let me guess, you thought you’d pass the message on?”

“I didn’t… I was just trying to help. You can’t honestly want anything to do with her after what she did.”

“Mya didn’t do anything. Fuck.” My eyes frantically searched the hall, but Mya was long gone.

Trash.

He’d called her trash, and Kellie had reiterated the words like a mindless puppet.

Deep down it didn’t surprise me, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear.

“You should leave,” I seethed.

“L- leave?” She blanched. “I don’t understand. I thought—”

“You thought what? That now me and Mya are no longer together, I’d get with you?” A dark chuckle spilled from my lips. “I wouldn’t touch you if you were the last girl on the planet.”