Page 73 of Nothing Special X: The Last Stand

Furi held on. “Please don’t go. Let’s just breathe for a second, then sit down and talk rationally.”

Syn shrugged him off. Not violently, or hard…but enough to make him drop his hands.

The tears welled before he could stop them. He blinked them back, jaw tight, throat burning. “You’re gonna leave me because of this?” he asked. “For trying to help you?”

Syn’s face twisted. “Don’t do that.”

“Answer me.”

Syn let out a harsh breath. “I just need some time, Furi.”

“How much time?”

“I don’t know.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the only one I’ve got.”

“Corbin, please.”

Syn’s gaze found his, and the fire there changed into something rawer. Painfully depleted. Not work-tired. Soul-tired.

“I can’t stay in this house right now.” He closed his eyes, frown lines marring his forehead. “I just need some space.”

“Okay, okay, I understand. I’ll sleep in the den, I won’t hound you, I promise. I’ll give you space,” Furi scrambled.

He was for sure begging now— there was nothing elegant or pretty about it. But he couldn’t just stand there and watch the best thing in his life, his entire world, walk out of the door.

Syn picked up the luggage. “Let me go.”

Furi wanted to drop to his knees and wrap his arms around Syn’s legs. Wanted to say every desperate thing clawing at his throat—I love you. I’m sorry. I was stupid. I was wrong. Don’t leave me here alone.

But Syn had asked Furi to let him go, and like it or not, Furi had already taken too much choice from him…so he moved.

Syn stepped around him and opened the door.

Furi turned, watching him cross the short distance down the driveway.

Syn’s shoulders were straight, his strides determined.

He stood there until Syn closed himself inside his truck and started the engine.

He watched him back out and drive away. Furi waited, holding his breath for the brake lights to illuminate, then reverse.

It never happened.

Furi slid down the wall, shoulders hunched forward, as all the air left him in one broken rush.

“Fuck!” he hollered.

He banged his elbow repeatedly into the wall behind him until pain shot up his arm.

“Goddammit!”

He pressed the heel of his hand against his eyes until sparks flashed behind his lids. His head beat so hard he could barely think. Every sharp breath was laced like panic.

He didn’t know how long he sat there.