Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 148704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 744(@200wpm)___ 595(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 744(@200wpm)___ 595(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
The air in the car is charged, Willie, Drew, and me all trapped inside the small space with tempers tipped at the edge of sanity.
All I’ve worked for, all we worked for… gone.
I have nothing now.
As if angered by the weak thought, a sharp pain hits my chest, my eyes flicking up to the rearview mirror and landing on Davis.
I have all I need.
It’s true, but it’s fucking sad. I wanted to give her a life I could feel a sense of pride from.
Now all I have to give, is me.
The loan on the bar is high, the sacrifice to be able to afford it being the added insurance offered. I have none, and if I spend what’s in the business account, I won’t be able to stock the bar or pay the employees, let alone keep the lights on.
I’m fucked.
And I’m five seconds from fucking up worse.
That’s my last thought as I tear from the passenger seat of Willie’s car, taking two steps at a time toward mine and Davis’s apartment.
The door vibrates on its hinges as I throw it open, anger doubling when I find it completely unlocked.
Drew yanks Davis back as he realizes, and she shouts after me as Willie and I dart inside to sweep the place. It doesn’t take long to figure out it’s empty, which should make me happy.
It doesn’t.
We’re coming out of the back room when Drew and Davis finally move inside, but she doesn’t look at me, her steps are slow as she glances around the space.
There’s no more glass littering the floor, no liquid splayed on the wall, and the broken and busted couch is gone. Everything is back to how it should be, minus the missing piece of furniture.
It’s like nothing ever happened.
It’s like Memphis was never here, a fact she realizes right away.
She tries to hide the sorrow sweeping over her, and I hate that. She’s doing it for my benefit, so I temper the anger within me and go to her, cupping her face in my cheek.
Her hand comes up to wrap around my wrist, a single tear rolling down her face as she smiles sadly at me. “He’s gone.”
I say nothing, just hold her, and when she gasps slightly, nodding as if to say it’s okay, I drop my forehead to hers, kissing it briefly. The last thing I want to do is let her go, so I tug her even closer and tuck her head into my chest, so she can’t look at the expression I can’t seem to wipe away, my teeth grinding together to keep the growl from tearing from my throat.
Everything is fucked, and what’s worse, I have no fucking clue if I can fix it.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Davis
Much to my surprise, we never left the apartment after returning in search of Memphis. I thought Crew would be far too paranoid to be here considering, but he insisted, and I think it’s because he knew I needed the comfort of my own space to try and deal with all the things happening around us. The problem is… I have no idea what is actually happening around us.
Everyone remained silent, nothing but long sideways stares and pacing. Two days of it.
How Drew, who hasn’t left the apartment for a single minute since arriving—likely why Crew is comfortable staying here—hasn’t worn out the soles of his shoes, I don’t know.
He seems the most on edge, and I wonder if it’s because he came back into his brother’s life amid his last struggle, and now worries how Crew will get through a second one.
Or maybe he thinks someone’s going to bust through the door at any second and he doesn’t want to be caught off guard.
The moment I think it, there’s a knock on the other side, and Drew’s head jolts up, brows furrowing as he charges to it without thought. He’s kind of scary when he’s mad, a side of him I’ve never quite noticed before, as if his silly and playful side is nothing but a mirror meant to bounce back on you, hiding the darkness beneath it. The pain.
He’s struggling to keep it together, and I don’t know how to console him.
“It’s all right, Drew.” Crew appears from the bedroom, having stepped inside to change out of his sweats.
Drew’s expression is tense as he waits for his brother to pass him and becomes the shadow at his back.
“Thanks for coming,” Crew says, slowly opening the door all the way and stepping back.
Jess stands in the doorway, his expression slightly guarded as he nods. “Yeah, of course.”
He finds me curled up on the new-to-me couch Willie surprised me with yesterday and a small smile pulls at his lips. “Hey.”
“Hey…” I push up, my gaze sliding to Crew in question.
I don’t like this.
Why is Crew taking so long to look at me?