Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 142728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Rage consumes me until I’m ready to throw something out the window.
I sit there staring at my sister. Completely still on the outside.
Coming apart on the inside.
I don’t know how long I’m sitting there seething when a nurse bustles into the room to tell me there’s a man here to see Libby. He’s insistent. But he’s not family, so they won’t let him past the front desk.
It has to be Dex.
“No, he’s not family,” I whisper.
I’m the only family Libby has. And I abandoned her today. For a man. Something I swore I’d never do.
Anger wars with my self-loathing and I don’t know which one will win.
“I’ll take care of it,” I assure the nurse. “Will she be okay?”
She nods and checks Libby’s vitals.
I walk through the corridors of the small hospital almost in a trance.
Dex’s voice reaches me before I see him. Arguing with someone in the lobby.
I stop.
If I wait, I won’t have to do or say a thing. Security will probably escort him out.
I’m so furious, the security guard might be the better option for Dex.
I step into the lobby.
“Emily!” Dex’s relieved voice somehow makes me feel so much worse. “What happened? Is Libby okay?”
“No, she’s not.”
He wraps his hand around my arm. “Where is she? What can I do for you?”
“Leave.”
“What?” He recoils as if I’d slapped him.
“Leave. You need to go.”
I can’t stop seeing the scratches on my sister’s face. How much they look like the blood on her face the night our parents were killed. I close my eyes, trying to separate the two events. But the memories return with a swiftness bordering on violence.
Finding Libby huddled in the closet.
Skinny little arms wrapped around her knees.
Speckles of dried blood splashed across her cheeks, nose, and forehead. So much blood, for a second, I thought she’d been shot too.
I wasn’t home to protect her that night.
Just like I wasn’t there when she needed me today.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
Dex
Not that long ago, I swore I’d never set foot in another hospital.
Once again, I feel responsible for the suffering of someone I care about.
I shouldn’t have pushed Emily into going up to the clubhouse. I should’ve waited. I’ve known all along she comes with responsibilities. Responsibilities I was all too happy to ignore to satisfy my selfish need to have Emily to myself for a few hours.
“Not every relationship is meant to last forever,” she whispers in a cold, monotone voice. “I can’t do this.”
She turns her head, staring down the long hallway.
“Emily.” I curl my hand around her arm, trying to force her to look at me.
“Please.” She sniffles. “I can’t do this now.”
“All right.” The sinking feeling in my stomach intensifies. “I’ll wait out here.”
“No. I can’t do this.” Emily’s jagged voice slices into me sharper than any knife. “With you. I should’ve been home in case she needed me. What was I thinking? She sent me a bunch of texts, and I missed them because I was with you.”
The air in my lungs turns to ice.
“Please go,” she says in a louder voice.
The security guard who’d been hovering since I walked in, eyeballing me like he planned to call the cops if I breathed in the wrong direction, steps up to Emily.
“Miss, are you all right? Is this man with you?”
“No.” She looks anywhere but at me. “No, he’s not.”
“All right, sir.” He holds out his arm, blocking me from Emily. His other hand goes to his belt. “You need to leave now.”
Emily turns and walks away, leaving me with Officer Death Wish.
Is causing a scene going to get me what I want? I can easily knock this guy out and chase Emily. She took a left at the end of the hallway. I’d find her.
But what good does that do?
Will it help Emily? No.
Will it help Libby? Also no.
I stumble outside into the cool night. Under the harsh yellow parking lot lights, my bike waits for me.
Should I go to Emily’s house? I don’t have a key. What am I going to do? Sit in her driveway until she comes home? Then ambush her after she’s had a hellish night?
Questioning everything, I straddle my bike and head to the only home I’ve known for the last sixteen years. My club.
When I finally get there, several bikes are parked out front. I glare at Grinder’s. Why the fuck didn’t he go home?
Hoping to avoid him, I pull my bike into the garage.
The fucker knows me too well. He’s waiting inside.
For some fucking reason, Jigsaw and Rooster are also with him.
“What happened?” Grinder asks, stalking over to me.
I don’t even know what to say. Grinder has all but threatened to dismember me if I did anything to hurt Emily. I did something far worse, I hurt Emily and her sister.
“Emily and I broke up.” I don’t have the words or energy to explain.