Avow

CHAPTER 23

First thing the next morning, Gabriel marched into Tristan’s house, barreling into the back room where Tristan spent every waking hour beating the crap out of a punching bag.

“What. The. Hell.” Gabriel was seething. He slammed the workout room door closed so it was just he and his brother surrounded by mats, boxing gloves, and the smell of sweat, as Tristan glanced at him and then went back to punching.

Gabriel had never felt his jaw pull so tight. “That was your plan? That was your plan?!”

How could he do that to Scarlet?

He wanted to roar. “I understand that you needed to keep Scarlet from touching you, but don’t you think that was a bit cruel last night?”

“Yep.” Tristan threw another punch into his hanging target, dark bags under his eyes like he hadn’t slept in years.

“Scarlet’s a person, Tristan! You can’t hurt her like that. You can’t, you can’t—”

“I can’t what?” Tristan caught the swinging bag. “Break her heart?”

Gabriel pursed his lips.

Tristan steadied the bag and rolled his shoulders. “It was the only way.” He punched again.

“No.” Gabriel shook his head, fury and protectiveness making his muscles jump. “It wasn’t fair. Go tell her the truth.”

“What truth would that be?”

“I don’t know, but you let her believe something that’s not honest.”

“No. I let her see something. She chooses to believe whatever she wants.”

“She cried, Tristan!”

Tristan’s fists froze, the only sound in the room the creak of the chain the punching bag swung from.

He swallowed. “She’ll be fine.” He went back to punching.

“No, she won’t.”

“You don’t give her enough credit, Gabe. She’s brave and stubborn and tough as hell. She’s not the breakable doll you want her to be.”

“I don’t care if she’s made of steel, Tristan. Because of you, she’s in pain.”

“Yes, well, I’m sure it’s less pain than the pain she suffers when she’s dying.”

“You’re an ass.”

Tristan nodded. “Yep.” Then an odd glint entered his eyes as he stopped and stared at Gabriel. He cocked his head. “You love her.”

“Of course, I love her.”

“No.” Tristan wiped a hand across his forehead. “You love her more than you used to. You want to protect her.” He said this like it was a revelation.

“Quit changing the subject.” Gabriel pointed to the door. “Go fix this.”

“No.” Tristan threw another punch into the bag. Then another.

“You need to apologize to her. She loves you!”

“And that’s the problem, isn’t it?” Tristan quit punching and faced Gabriel, breathing heavy from his exertion. “Her love for me is like poison and you just enable it. You just keep letting her love me.” He shook his head. “I asked you to take her away and what are you doing? Telling me to apologize to her? To tell her the truth? You’re just as destructive as she is! Don’t you see? If I don’t do this—if I don’t break her heart—the cycle will never end! She’ll die and die and die. And you’re just chicken shit enough to let her.” Tristan’s eyes were wild and reckless. “So she cries. So what? Take care of her, dammit! Don’t come to me with your bullshit wants and needs like I just made your life hell. I’m in hell. I’m in hell.” He jabbed at his sweaty chest with a finger. “But I’m also the only one unafraid to make hard decisions around here. So, don’t tell me what to do.” He started unwrapping the bindings from his hands, his green eyes cold as they focused on the task.

Gabriel was enraged, but more than that, he was flooded with disappointment. “I hate you.”

“Yeah, well,” Tristan threw his undone wrappings to the floor, “I hate you too.” He pushed past Gabriel, the door to the room swinging open and closed with a heavy thud.