I started to shut the door put he stopped it with his hand.

“I have nothing to say to you so please leave.”

“Ellie, I was not f**king some girl last night. I don’t know why you keep doing this but honestly I’m getting really tired of this game.”

What?

“What game might that be Gunner?”

“You and this insecurity bullshit you have got going on Ellie. I have tried to be patient with you and bend over backwards not to push you to soon into anything, and all you do is accuse me of not wanting you, but always wanting someone else. It’s bullshit and I’m f**king sick of it.”

“Well good then, you don’t have to worry about any of that BULLSHIT anymore because we…..are…..done. Please leave now.”

“Who are you going out with Ellie? Tell me right now!” Gunner screamed so loud it cause me to jump.”

Just then Jon came driving down the driveway in his BMW. I closed my eyes and prayed that Gunner did not beat the hell out of him. Gunner turned and looked at the car then slowly turned around and looked at me.

“Holy shit Ellie….that was fast. Maybe you have had Jon all along on the side huh?” I reached up and slapped him across the face. Jon got out of his car but stopped and just stood there.

“I hate you. Do you hear me? I f**king hate you and I NEVER want to see you again! NEVER!”

Gunner looked devastated and I almost wanted to tell him how sorry I was and that I didn’t mean a word I just said…….until I remembered the bitch wrapped around his body.

“Fine, if this is what you want Ellie, don’t worry. I’ll never bother you again.”

Gunner turned and walked away from me. That’s it? He was just going to give up that easy?

I watched him get in his truck and peel out and race down the driveway. I had to put my hand on the door jam to hold myself up. Then I turned and ran to the bathroom and threw up.

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE

Gunner……

“Drew, are you sure you feel like going out? I mean you really don’t have to entertain James and me.”

My cousin Shannon had been talking about wanting to go to Rebels ever since we were sitting in her hotel room at the Driskill yesterday…..before my whole world turned upside down. I never told her why I had to run out on them. They were getting married this weekend and I didn’t want to put a downer on things. James was supposed to fly in a day ahead of Shannon but she ended up surprising me by coming in early with him. I was so blown away when she opened the door to what I thought was James hotel room. She screamed and jumped into my arms. Then I saw James sitting on the bed. It had been a great surprise, at least for a few minutes until I got Ellie’s crazy ass call accusing me of sleeping with someone.

“Gunner are you going to ever tell us why Jeff punched you last night? Your eye looks terrible.” Shannon said as she fussed over it again.

We walked into Rebels and I spotted Brad so I stopped and introduced him to James and Shannon. Brad I could tell was giving me the cold shoulder. I guess Amanda filled him in on my whole cheating thing. Whatever….I followed Shannon and James in and my eyes went right to the dance floor. It was like I instantly knew she was here. “I Cry” by Flo Rida was playing and Ellie was dancing with that f**ker. What the fuck? She had a f**king beer in her hand and she dancing awfully close to Jon. Her ass was grinding all in his f**king crotch.

Just then Jeff and Ari walked up to me. Ari looked at me funny as I looked down at her. She tilted her head and looked at me and then looked out to Ellie. I looked back out and Ellie had her back to us but that f**ker looked up and saw me. He smiled and then he reached down and kissed Ellie.

When they say you can’t die from a broken heart they’re right but it sure as f**k hurts so much that you wish you were dead. My heart just shattered and I felt like I was going to be sick.

The song stopped and Ellie turned around and saw me. She stopped and stared at me. Then “Over You” by Miranda Lambert started playing. What f**king timing for that song to start playing. I felt a tear running down my cheek as Ellie shook her head and looked at me confused.

“I can’t do this anymore. I can’t love her enough for both of us….Jeff can you give Shannon and James a ride home?”

Jeff just looked at me and then out to Ellie who was just standing there while Jon was trying to get her to dance.

“Gunner why don’t you try to talk to her…..she might…”

“I’m leaving and I need to know if you will give my cousins a ride to their hotel please, they’re talking to Brad and Amanda.”

“Sure I will Gunner.”

“Gunner, who was that you were with yesterday?” Ari asked me.

I just shook my head. “I don’t know who you’re talking about and I’m tired, I’m so tired of doing this. I’ll see you around Ari.”

I took one last look at Ellie who was still standing there and looking over at me. I turned and walked away from the only person I’ve ever loved in my entire life. I would love her for the rest of my life.

Now I needed to figure out how to forget about her.

Ellie……

Was Gunner just crying? I was so confused why was he looking like I was the one who gutted him. I was pissed at Jon for kissing me! Asshole!

Gunner turned and was leaving.

Wait….where was he going? I started to walk over to where Ari was, she now looking at me like she was just as confused as I was. Jon started to pull me back onto the dance floor.

“JON! Let me go talk to my brother for fuck’s sake!”

I started to walk towards Jeff and Ari and of course Jon was walking right behind me. Then I saw her…..my stomach instantly felt sick. I sucked in a breath and looked at Ari who looked over to where I was looking.

“Oh holy shit! That’s her Jeff! That’s the girl that Gunner was with yesterday!” Ari said as she was pulling on Jefferson’s shirt.

I couldn’t believe it…he brought her here? I mean he didn’t know I would be here. But oh my god….

Jeff looked at us confused. “Who?”

“The girl standing there with that guy talking to Brad and Amanda that is the girl who was at the Driskill who jumped into Gunners arms and they kissed.”

Jeff snapped his head at Ari and looked back and forth to both us like we were crazy.

“Fuck Ari you didn’t tell me what hotel you saw Gunner at! Oh holy fuck!” Jeff said as he pushed his hands through is hair.

“What the hell does it matter what hotel it was at!”

“It matters a lot Ari! That girl over there…....that is Gunner’s cousin Shannon! She flew in a day early to surprise Gunner. That girl you saw jumping into his arms was his f**king cousin!”

No! Oh my god no………this can’t be happening again. I instantly felt the tears rolling down my face.

“Oh my god no…..OH MY GOD!” Ari said as she looked at me.

“Where did he go Jefferson? Where did Gunner go?!”

“Um, I don’t know Ells, he was pretty torn up when he saw you on the dance floor kissing a**hole here who made damn sure Gunner saw him kiss you.”

I turned to look at Jon and who was now pulling on my arm to go back out and dance with him.

“Let me go Jon…….Ari I need your car keys……..I need to go after him!”

“No! Ellie my dear you need to come back out and dance with me. Just let him go.”

“ARI! I need your keys!” I was trying to push Jon away while trying to reach into Ari’s front pocket for the keys.

“Ellie, I know for a fact you’ve been drinking…Jeff and I will take you anywhere you want to go.”

Jon was still pulling at me. FUCK what was his deal.

“Hey, Jon…let my sister go right the f**k now!”

“Fuck you Jeff….your sister can make up her own mind.” He took my arm again. This time I saw Jefferson coming after him. I ducked down when I saw the swing coming. Jefferson hit Jon right in the nose.

Ari screamed out when Jon lunged back at Jefferson. I grabbed Ari’s arm and reached in her pocket and grabbed her keys. I knew she was going to be more worried about Jefferson than me reaching in and getting her keys out. I would be okay…I only had two beers.

I turned and ran over to Amanda and Brad who were still talking to Gunner’s cousins until they saw Jeff and Jon fighting. Brad ran over to try and break them up.

“I need to find Gunner! Will you make sure Jeff and Ari get a ride home?” I yelled at Amanda.

There was so much commotion going on no one even saw me running for the exit. I had to get to Gunner. I had to beg him to forgive me! Once I told him what I saw he will understand how easy it was to misunderstand that! He had to understand! OH MY GOD! Gunner! FUCK I had no idea where Ari parked! I started hitting her panic button as I ran to the parking lot she normally parked in. There! I saw her Jeep! I felt a little dizzy…….I only had two beers………

I jumped in her Jeep and took off…..the first place I needed to check was his house.

Gunner……

Pounding…all I heard was pounding on the goddamn front door. Shit…my head was f**king killing me….I looked at the clock and it said 1:30 am. I left Rebels at 10:00 and came straight home and started drinking hard. I must have passed out around 12:30am…at least that’s the last time I looked at the clock.

Pounding again……... FUCK…..Make it f**king stop!

“I’m f**king coming! Jesus Christ!”

I opened the door and saw Brad standing there. What the f**k was he doing here?

“Jesus Gunner are you drunk?” He said as he pushed his way in.

I let out a laugh. “Not nearly drunk enough dude, not nearly enough.”

“Where the f**k is your cell phone?” He looked around and saw it sitting on the coffee table. I turned it off around midnight when Ari kept f**king calling me over and over.

Brad turned it on while I walked over the kitchen to get a beer.

“You want a beer man or something harder….” I said with a laugh.

Just then I heard my phone beeping like crazy with notifications. What the hell?

“Gunner I need you to listen to me.” He took the beer from my hand and looked at me. It was the first time I ever saw fear in his eyes.

“Oh my god did something happen to my cousin?”

Brad shook his head at me….

“Your cousin is fine Gunner, she and James are back at their hotel. But there has been an accident.”

My heart started to pound…oh god please no.

“Who?”

Brad swallowed hard. He ran his hand through his hair and when he looked at me again he had tears in his eyes…..holy f**k this was going to be bad.

“It’s…… It’s Ellie Gunner. She was in a car accident earlier and is at Brackenridge hospital. Jeff got a call around midnight and we’ve been trying to call you. I left the hospital to come find you.”

Ellie…..in an accident……I felt like I was going to pass out.