Page 101 of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

I could feel Merritt’s eyes on me, but I didn’t meet her gaze. Instead, I picked at my fries, hoping she’d take the hint and leave. But Merritt was nothing if not stubborn.

“You’re impossible,” she said finally. “Do you know that?”

“So I’ve heard.”

“This is stupid. You’re being ridiculous. I want to knock you upside the head. You can’t keep pushing everyone away. It’s not healthy, and it’s hurting more than just you.”

I continued to focus on my fries, not wanting to admit how right she was.

“Don’t hold back on my account,” I muttered.

Her hands curled into fists at her sides but she kept her composure. “I’m not asking for too much, Kannon. I’m not asking you to change who you are. I would never want that. I want you for who you are. I have zero desire to want you to be something you don’t want to be. I’m asking you to think about what it means to be with me—to really be with me. If you’re not ready for that, say so. But don’t use your stupid bike as an excuse to push me away.”

I finally looked up at her. “Is that right? You think you’ve got me all figured out, huh?”

She didn’t flinch. “You’re scared. You’ve been scared since the moment we decided to do this, and instead of admitting it, you’re sabotaging us. If that’s what you want, fine. You can finish working on my dad’s house, and I’ll go back to Miami. We can call it done. But don’t pretend this is about your motorcycle.”

Her words hit harder than I wanted to admit, and for a second, I didn’t know what to say. Nothing felt right. She waited a beat, then turned and walked toward the door.

I dropped my burger and followed her out, the door slamming shut behind me. “Merritt, wait,” I called out.

She stopped on the sidewalk, spinning around to face me. Her eyes were blazing. “What do you want, Kannon?”

“You think this is easy for me?” I shot back, my temper flaring. “You think I don’t know how fragile life is? Loving you my entire life has made me fucking crazy, Merritt. And now that I finally have you, you’re ruining it by trying to control me.”

Her jaw dropped. “You don’t have me, you asshole,” she snapped. “You don’t own me. Do you understand?”

My chest tightened as I took a step closer. “I just said I loved you, and that’s what you heard? Unbelievable. You’re selfish, Merritt.”

Her laugh was bitter. “Selfish? Are you kidding me? You have your head so far up your ass, Kannon, you can’t see straight.”

“At least with my head up there, I don’t have to hear your nagging,” I shot back.

Her eyes widened, and for a moment, I thought she was going to slap me. But she didn’t. Instead, she took a shaky breath. “I can’t believe I let you trick me into thinking this could work. You thought I was the broken one who needed fixing? You need to look in a mirror, Kannon. Until you do, don’t call me.”

The words hurt but I didn’t let it show. “Don’t worry about me calling you,” I said, my voice cold. “We’re done.”

Her face twisted with a mix of fury and heartbreak, and even as the words left my mouth, I hated them. Hated myself for saying them. For taking the one thing that mattered most to me and shattering it. I was letting my past hurt and frustration rule me. I was lashing out at her for no good reason.

“Well, at least I never have to wonder anymore.”

She turned and walked away, her back straight and her shoulders back. I watched her go, my chest aching with every step she took. I could call out. I could apologize. I could do just about anything except for what I was doing, which was nothing.

When she disappeared around the corner, my eyes drifted to my motorcycle parked at the curb. The engine gleamed under the streetlights, a reminder of everything I’d fought to keep—and everything I’d just lost.

She said she wasn’t making me choose, but that was what it felt like.

I had chosen pieces of steel and rubber over flesh and blood—over Merritt. A surge of regret twisted in my gut as I clenched and unclenched my fists.

I turned and walked back into the bar. The temptation to drink was strong, but I wasn’t going to because I knew what I was going to do, and I wanted to do it stone-cold sober.

40

MERRITT

How did everything go so wrong so fast? I had loved him for so long, adored him from afar, and when we finally got together, it felt like a dream. But now that dream was quickly turning into a nightmare.

He thinks I’m trying to control him? The thought made me scoff.