A Way Out

Chapter 15

"How was your day at the beach?"

My heart dropped as I felt the tremble within my hands take over my entire body. My stomach made me feel like I was going to puke at any second. How? When? "T-The beach?" I tried as my mind traced the steps I had taken that day. Never had my heart pounded so fast against my ribcage as fear wrapped around me and tried to swallow me whole.

Jake looked around before yanking the cart out of my hands and getting into my face. Instead of backing up, I froze and remained in the exact same spot. Moving would anger Jake even more, and that was the last thing I wanted. "Don't play dumb with me Everly! Did you sleep with him? Was it better than with me?"

My mouth went dry and his face was just mere inches away from mine, frightening me even more. Where the ice in Donovan's eyes could be comforting, the fire in Jake's eyes was anything but that. Jake's eyes had always been a dangerous sight when he was unhappy. Getting too close to the fire in Jake's eyes ensured getting burned by them.

"You are taking at least five huge ass steps back or I swear to god I will hurt you." I closed my eyes and my body found solace in the sound of Raleigh's voice.

Jake looked past me and let out a disdainful laugh. "At least Raleigh has a backbone," he said as he looked me dead in the eye before turning around and leaving.

When he disappeared, Raleigh turned me around. She wrapped her arms around me, and I let myself collapse in them. All of the tension left my body at that moment, like the air that left a balloon.

"He saw me," I sobbed into her shoulder. "A-at the beach."

"Let's get you home, Eve."

Again white. It was all I had looked at since I got home. The white wall was the most comforting sight to look at right now. The same as it had been the night Jake had put his hand around my neck. The white eased the feelings in my body that I wasn't able to cope with, and it added to my numbness. The numbness was a kindness and shielded me from the hurt that it trapped in its wake.

For the past thirty minutes, I had laid in Raleigh's arms while she soothingly rubbed my back. She had tried to talk to me, but when I only gave half answers, she realized I wasn't ready to talk. The only thing she did was holding me, and for now, that was enough.

I thanked the heavens that Raleigh stepped in at the right time. Jake was more erratic than ever, and I didn't know what he was capable of. Besides the numbness in my body, my mind had been pondering about how on earth he could've seen us at the beach. Did he watch me? Did he track my every move? Or had it been a coincidence? I hoped it was the latter, but I knew better.

"Everly?"

"Hmm?"

"I can order something to eat if you want?" Raleigh suggested.

I don't know why that had been the trigger for me to talk, but I suddenly went off and there seemed to be no stopping me. "What the hell is his problem?! When we were in a relationship, he has been an absolute dickhead, and now that I broke up with him, he becomes a dangerous dickhead. Honestly, what was I thinking getting into a relationship with this guy?" I sat up straight and threw my hands up in frustration. "And what the hell is up with Donovan Dane?! First the smooth-talking, offering me a deal and kissing me senseless on the beach and now I haven't heard a single thing from him. Guys suck Raleigh!"

While I was talking Raleigh's eyes held compassion, but after that, her lips curled into a smile and she put her hand over her mouth to prevent from laughing.

"What?" I snapped as I slouched back into the couch, wrapping my hands in front of my chest, and looking at her.

"This is my Everly," she beamed proudly as she threw her arms around me and pulled me in for a hug. I relaxed against her and smiled.