The Deal Breaker (Book II)

Chapter Twelve - Breathe

Warning: Drug references.                                                    

                                                  Chapter Twelve

                                                           Breathe

When I got home I was relieved to see David’s car in the garage, meaning he was safe and sound at home. Admittedly I was worried about him being out all night and part through the day. I parked the bike under some bushes and went in cautiously, repeating the words I’m so sorry in my head as I walked.

The place was dark, no curtains open, and only lit by the television. David sat on the couch with his head leaning back. When I walked in he glanced over at me and sighed.

“I was worried about you,” I admitted when he didn’t speak.

“…Where’d you go?”

I expected this question. I took a seat in the sofa chair and faced him with a serious look on my face. “I tried looking for you. I thought you might be at a bar or something…” Lies, though it had crossed my mind about him being drunk somewhere because of me.

He didn’t seem fazed by my words. “I drove around for a while. I had to think of what I was going to say to you and what I was going to do.”

My muscles tensed and I dug my nails into the palms of my hands. “I wanted to say I’m so sorry—“

“Don’t,” he cut me off. “I want to say what I was going to say first. I have a hell of a lot to get off my chest.”

My lips pressed together and I nodded. This is going to hurt.

“I helped you when you were going through withdraw. I answered your phone calls and was there every single time you needed me. I didn’t question any further about you living in your car and being mugged in the parking garage. I took you in to help you and I’ve been supporting you in every decision you’ve made. I haven’t questioned your strange behavior, your bruises, or your disappearances because I didn’t want to set you over the edge and thought you’d tell me eventually. I’ve been faithful, and I’ve loved you.” He didn’t look at me the entire time he spoke.

For some reason, what he just told me was so much worse than if he had yelled at me or even hit me. It made me realize how stupid I truly am. I just threw away the greatest guy for a kiss with a vampire I would never be with nor wanted to be with. After all David has done for me! I hung my head, letting my dark hair cover my face. “I can’t apologize enough.”

“Stop. I have more to say.”

I looked up at him, wishing I was one who could just sob and beg for forgiveness. But I knew I wasn’t capable of it.

“I know you’ve been lying to me, about a lot of things. Two weeks ago I received a call from one of the people I council in the AA group, telling me they were about to use and they needed me to help them. I went down there to the place they told me and managed to talk them out of it. That’s where I met a girl named Cindy.”

Blood drained from my face as my sister’s name came out of his mouth. Cindy. I hated myself more at that moment. I hated how I’ve been wasting my time with arguing and talking to Matthew when I should have been there for my little sister. Deep down, I always thought of her being just fine until I’d be able to swoop in and save her from the life I had been living. Yet I had failed her just as I had failed David.

“I knew it was your sister because you two look just alike, only she’s miraculously thinner. She also has a mouth on her as you used to have when I first met you. In the short conversation I had with her, with me mentioning being your boyfriend, she informed me she hadn’t seen you in two years and knew nothing about the job you apparently had gotten with her.” David’s icy blue eyes met mine.