Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 85167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
His expression must have given him away because Z scooched closer. “Who hurt you? I’ll kill him.”
Tam rested his head against the wall and prepared to come clean. Telling his and Driver’s story felt like a form of betrayal. He didn’t want to share, as if keeping it to himself was the reason it held so much importance. Now it was out there, the sense of loss was even deeper.
“I knew that guy was bad news,” Z said.
“You’ll be okay, sweetie.” Ansel hugged him.
“I know.” And he did. He’d heal eventually.
Nothing would break him, not ever again.
“Come on, Fitch is waiting at home and I have a chicken thawing. Let’s kiki at my place over a home-cooked meal.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
“He’s been unconscious since last night.” Brandon’s voice was foggy and distant. “Yeah. Severe road rash on both legs and some on his hands too.” Brandon paused. “The tibia, I guess. A small fracture, it won’t stop him for long, six months max. They put him in a cast and he’ll need crutches, but—right. That’s what I was thinking.”
Driver fought the heavy dark pressure in his head. There was something important he needed to do. What was it? The constant beep-beep-beep of machines and the smell of disinfectant were foreign and disorienting. Where was he?
And why the fuck couldn’t he move his right leg?
He blinked open his eyes. The sunshine pierced them like shards of glass. He hissed and squeezed them shut.
“Hold on, I think he’s waking up,” Brandon said. “Hey buddy, how you doin’?”
“Fucking brilliant.”
“Harrison, I’ll call you back. Everything’s good though, no need to catch a flight. Yep, I’ll keep you updated. See ya.” Brandon’s hand landed on Driver’s shoulder. “Harrison says you’re an asshole.”
Driver’s smile hurt like a bitch. He hissed again, then rubbed at his face. It pounded. Brandon pulled his hand away. “You’ve got a slight concussion and a bad scrape on your cheek. Don’t mess with the bandages.”
Once again, Driver tried to open his eyes, this time cautiously. He squinted around the hospital room, noting the tacky blue paint and sterile furniture. Jesus-H-Christ, he was in the fucking hospital. His pulse sped as the accident flashed through his memory. The crushing pain when the bike landed on his leg, the abrading of pavement against his skin, almost drowning from rain. He shifted his gaze to Brandon whose eyes were filled with worry.
“My bike?”
“Seriously? You are lucky to be alive and you’re worried about that goddamn death trap?”
Driver closed his eyes again, it hurt to keep them open. “Don’t give me shit right now, I can’t punch you.”
“Yeah, that’s exactly why I’m going to. For once, you are locked in place and can’t do a damn thing but listen.”
“I don’t need your lecture. I already know everything you’re going to say.”
“The fuck you do. Do you know how my heart stopped when I got the call? Do you know how Harrison was already at the airport? He was going to fly back today even though he’d have blown a huge meeting. You scared the living shit out of us.”
Even though it stung, he met Brandon’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”
That seemed to knock the wind out of his friend’s anger. Brandon grabbed his hand and squeezed. “What the hell were you doing out there in the middle of a freezing rainstorm?”
Driver sighed and gazed up at the flecked ceiling. “Running.”
“I thought as much.”
“I’m such a fuckup, Brando. Why do I do this shit?” He remembered Tam’s tear-filled eyes. He remembered the words he hadn’t been ready to hear. And his heart twisted painfully.
“You already know why.”
He slammed his free fist into the mattress. “I’m so tired.”
“Rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
His whole body felt as if it were being pressed into the bed by a tank, but that wasn’t when he’d meant. “No, I mean, I’m so tired of being a coward. I’m tired of always disappointing the people I care about. I’m so damn sick of running.”
Brandon was quiet for a long time. So long, in fact, that Driver flicked a glance in his direction to double-check he was still there. “Sorry, I think I may have just died of shock, but this is some shitty kind of heaven.”
“Don’t be a dick.”
“Are you serious, D? Because I’ve been waiting a decade for you to get your shit together. We all have.”
“I don’t know if I can stick it out. I really don’t, but for the first time since they died, I want to try. I... I...need to try.” For Tam.
For himself.
“Is this some near-death epiphany bullshit? Are you going to change your mind as soon as the shock wears off?”
“No. I don’t know. Maybe. I hope not.”
“Well that clears things right up, thanks bro.” Sarcasm dripped off Brandon’s words, but there was a spark of hope in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.