TAINTED

Chapter 25

RHYS

Blaine came back for Ivy.

The reality of our situation was too hard to accept. I moaned into my empty hands and rolled onto my backside, replaying the events of last night in my mind. I closed my eyes, fighting the tears that threatened them. Hiding out in the bunkhouse wasn't the answer, but seeing Blaine with Ivy made me sick. When Blaine returned, I only thought about how I'd betrayed him. I was in love with Ivy, and I could do nothing about it. I didn't want to leave her, but I couldn't let her ruin her life for me and follow me to Nashville. Letting her drop out of college to follow me into the unknown wasn't what was best for Ivy. I never wanted to hold her back or make her feel she owed me something. I couldn't let Blaine find out what we'd done. This town was too small to let her name be tainted as the girl who destroyed the Wyatt family. Hell, I was protecting her. Her sweet and innocent face made my chest feel like it was about to explode.

I sat up on the edge of my bunk, clenching my chest. It felt like I couldn't breathe. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror on my wall. My beard was bushy and longer than usual. I stopped and ran a hand over my face to wipe the tears and saw my puffy and bloodshot eyes. I looked like shit. I could hardly look at myself. Watching her latch back onto Blaine made me sick to my stomach. I felt guilty knowing how much Blaine loved her and how he'd risked everything to be with her. He gave up free tuition and flew across the country. I was about to leave her and told her she couldn't come with me. What the fuck was wrong with me?

I walked back up to the ranch to eat something and shower quickly. There was no way in hell I was eating at the employee bunkhouse. I just hoped Ivy and Blaine wouldn't be at the ranch. When I stepped through the front door and entered the kitchen, I found Ivy and Blaine eating breakfast at the table. Fuck. I was sick with jealously watching them eat cereal together, even though I certainly had no right to be. She wasn't mine. She never was. What we had done was a huge mistake. It could never be repeated, and I needed to accept that. She made the right choice, falling back into Blaine's arms. He was everything I wasn't.

Blaine's face lit up when he saw me approaching them. Ivy's back was to me, and I was thankful I couldn't see her face. I wasn't sure how I would be able to keep it together in front of them.

"Morning, Rhys," Blaine said, breaking the silence. "I thought the three of us could go fishing and head into town for lunch. What do you say?"

A pang of jealousy hit me when Ivy's eyes found mine. I dropped my gaze into a drawer and dug around for a spoon.

"I can't," I replied unable to look at him. He'd see that I was in love with Ivy if I did. I grabbed a bowl and poured myself a bowl of cereal, too.

"Why not? I want to spend time with my big brother and best girl. Is that too much to ask?"

Hell yeah, it was.

"I'm too busy today."

"Doing what?" Blaine asked.

"Packing," I replied, unable to look at him.

"You don't leave for college for another two weeks," he laughed. "Can't packing wait?"

"I'm leaving this weekend...but for Nashville," I managed to say aloud.

"Wait. What?" Blaine asked.

I could feel Ivy's eyes burning into my side, but I refused to look over at her. There was no point in sticking around any longer. God, it hurt. I wanted her so badly. I wanted a life with Ivy. I wanted that life I let myself pretend we could have. How could I give that to her when she belonged to my brother? I could never continue to destroy what they had. I would be riddled with guilt and pain my entire life. Knowing Blaine came back for her and loved her would eventually eat at me until I was worthless to anyone.