Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“Baby, I’m leaving. But not for good. I’ll be back and we can talk.”
With no other choice, his stomach in knots and filled with regrets, he left.
Lilac couldn’t sleep.
She tossed and turned. She needed to sleep. Desperately. But her mind wouldn’t shut up.
Had she made a mistake sending Tanner away? Why had she done that? Because he’d hit some guys?
While defending you.
Urgh, she was an idiot. She already knew he wasn’t like Stefan. Her brother would never have stuck up for her. Oh no, he’d have turned things around and blamed her for everything. He’d have told her it was her fault that guy had grabbed her at Dirty Delights.
With a sigh, she rolled onto her other side, wincing as pain shot through her ribs.
Ouch.
Moving onto her back, she pressed her hands to her eyes. Had she just been looking for a reason to push Tanner away?
Was she playing games without even knowing she was doing it?
Sitting up, she tried to take some even breaths. It felt like there was a huge weight pressing down on her chest.
Maybe she should call him and apologize.
He said he’d be back . . . but what if he’d decided that she was too much work? That she was a bitch who ran hot and cold?
You could have had it all. And instead, like usual, you self-sabotage.
Why can’t you do anything right, Lilac?
First, she couldn’t fix Sugar. Then, she didn’t notice how sick Ryleigh was. And now she’d ruined things with Tanner.
Out. She needed to get out. She couldn’t breathe.
She was lying on Ryleigh’s bed, having locked herself in here to avoid talking to Opal.
Which was something else to feel ashamed of. Opal had to work tomorrow and she’d left her to take care of Kye.
After quickly pulling on some clothes, she tiptoed into the next room to check on Kye and Opal. Both of them were sleeping.
She’d just go for a quick run, then come back and listen out for Kye, so Opal could sleep. Checking the time on the oven, she saw it was just after three in the morning.
Yeah, no way was she sleeping now.
Slipping out the door, she walked toward the road. Sure, she knew it was probably a stupid idea to go running at this time of night. However, Haven was a safe place.
Well, safe-ish.
Still, she was sure that no one else would be up now. She started off at a slow jog, but it wasn’t long until her lungs were heaving for air, her side protesting that it didn’t like moving this much.
Shit. She was so unfit.
It probably didn’t help that she had bruised ribs.
Slowing down, she tried to catch her breath, but couldn’t. The world spun dangerously.
Oh great.
Just wonderful.
This was the icing on the cake, she thought as the world went black.
26
Fuck.
What asshole would be calling him at this time of the night? With a groan, Tanner reached over and grabbed his phone. Seeing Linc’s name, he answered.
“Why the fuck are you calling me at fucking four-thirty in the morning? If you’ve arrested one of my brothers, I don’t fucking care. Call Alec. Bye.”
“Wait! Tanner, don’t you fucking hang up!”
There was an urgency in Linc’s voice that made him pause. Fuck. What if something had happened to Lilac or Kye?
“What is it? What’s going on?” he asked, sitting up.
“It’s Lilac.”
He got up and put the phone on speaker as he reached for his jeans. “What about Lilac?”
“Tanner, she passed out. I brought her to the hospital and the doctor is checking her over now. I know things weren’t great between you yesterday, but I thought you’d want to know.”
“You’re fucking right, I do. I’ll be right there.”
He hastily finished dressing before sending Alec a quick text to explain why he wouldn’t be around today.
Then he raced to the hospital, not giving a single fuck about the speed limit.
Running into the hospital, he saw Linc waiting for him. “Come on back with me.”
“What happened? Why did she collapse?” He’d parked his truck in the first place he found, not caring if he got ticketed.
All he’d cared about was getting to his girl.
Linc sighed. “I don’t know why she fainted. All I know is that Opal woke up to Kye and discovered that Lilac was gone. She woke me and I went searching for Lilac. I found her unconscious several blocks from the house, and I drove her straight here.”
Fuck. Fuck!
“Listen, I’ve got to get back to Ryleigh, Opal, and the baby,” Linc said. “Can you stay here? I’ve told the nurse you were coming and to update you on her condition.”
Tanner raised his eyebrows. “They’ll update me.”
Linc grunted. “I might have lied a bit and told them that she belonged to you.”
Okay. He was glad that Linc had the foresight to do that.
“I know Lilac won’t be pleased, she doesn’t seem to put much into this ‘guardian thing’. Jake was giving her time to come around. But I called him, and we both agreed that the three of them are out of time. I’m going back to talk to Opal and Ryleigh, but I’m going to act as guardian for them both. I’ll be moving all of them into my house. If you don’t want to be Lilac’s guardian, or she’d prefer me or Jake, let me know. She can move in with me too.”