Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Are you hungry?” He asks shifting in his seat, changing the subject completely.
“She can’t eat anything just yet,” a voice says coming through the door.
I watch as the nurse makes herself at home in the room. She checks the fluid level in my IV bag then proceeds to check my pulse, listen to my heart, and requests that I take deep breaths.
Her affect is very flat. Wrists are covered in more dark leather bands than I’ve ever seen on one person before. Jet black hair and eyes almost as dark stare back at me. She doesn’t say another word, just looks me in the eye to the point of uncomfortableness.
She turns to leave. “Less than an hour until visiting time is over,” she says to whoever may be listing. She walks out as silently as she entered.
Kid and I look at each other, dumbfounded, wondering if her visit just happened.
“She seems like a bowl of sunshine,” Kid finally says.
I laugh. “Fuck,” I groan. “I’m suicidal and don’t have shit on her emo ass.”
I laugh; Kid doesn’t find the humor in it. Tough crowd.
Chapter 6
Kid
“Any idea when I’ll be able to get out of here?” She asks shifting her weight on the bed.
“I overheard some of the nurses talking earlier. They will release you after you’ve been cleared by the psych department.” I watch her face for a change in emotion. There is none. It makes me wonder if this isn’t her first time attempting to hurt herself.
“I can give you a ride tomorrow,” I offer. “I don’t mind taking you home.”
“I don’t have a home.” A simple statement. Not a plea for help. It doesn’t hold one ounce of expectancy or request for compassion.
It makes my blood run cold.
“Where have you been staying?”
She shakes her head as if trying to ward off painful thoughts. “That’s not even an option anymore.”
I want to offer to pay for a hotel for her; rent an apartment for her to live in. Hell, at this point I want to drag her home with me so I can keep an eye on her until this darkness passes in her life. I can’t of course. She’s underage, even if it’s less than a month until her birthday. Plus, I have no power over who comes and goes at the clubhouse. Brash decisions aren’t mine to make. I could lose my patch if I showed up with an underage, practically runaway, girl in tow.
I watch her hand as she worries with the gold band of her tiny engagement ring. Young love. I don’t have a clue about shit like that. The only thing I do know is from watching my friends. It’s a type of love that most of the time doesn’t work out, but carries feelings that can haunt you for the rest of your life. Most relationships don’t end in violence and death, so this situation is more complicated than just a simple break up.
“We’ll figure it out,” I say standing from the chair.
She looks up at me as if she’d forgotten I was sitting there. She’d been lost in memories, drowning in her pain.
She looks anxious as I straighten my shirt, making sure my cut is perfect before walking out of the room. It’s as if she doesn’t want me to go but is too afraid to ask me to stay. Stubborn girl.
“Try and get some rest,” I say leaning down close to her face.
She closes her eyes, and I kiss her forehead softly. I pull away and walk out before she has a chance to say another word.
***
It doesn’t surprise me to find Shadow waiting in the spacious living room at the clubhouse when I get home. We’ve texted back and forth throughout the day, so he’s well aware of what’s going on.
I’m more determined now on bringing Khloe here than I was an hour ago when I left the hospital. I have an overwhelming need to protect her, even if it’s from herself.
Kincaid and Emmalyn left after the BBQ to spend the rest of the weekend alone together. That leaves Shadow, as the club’s VP, in charge.
“She gonna be okay?” he asks before tipping his beer back.
“Complicated answer,” I say plopping down beside him. “She’s alive, but I wonder for how long. The way she talks and acts, she believes she doesn’t have a reason to live.”
“So more than just losing her fiancé?”
“Yeah,” I say rubbing a rough hand over my face. I’m exhausted. The whole day has been draining. “She’s in state custody. Her foster parents showed up. Hours after the fact, I might add. They went back and forth at each other. Her foster dad is a serious asshole.”
“Not like you to dislike someone so much,” he says.
“It’s not hard to hate this fucker, believe me.” I stare at the TV not really retaining anything I see.