COLE
DEKE AND I run through the sliding hospital doors in a hurry. As we enter the waiting room, Becky jumps to her feet in a pair of cotton shorts and a T-shirt. She must have been in bed when she heard the news and headed straight here. Bennett occupies the seat beside her. He went home and changed as well since we were all at the cemetery.
“Deke?” Becky calls out when she sees him.
“Have you heard anything?” I ask her. I was at the police station for over two hours. And she was shot over four hours ago.
“No,” she chokes out and shakes her head. Deke pulls her in for a hug. “They haven’t said anything yet.”
We sit down in the waiting area, and my legs bounce. I run my hands through my hair, and I can’t seem to think straight. Now that Deke’s and my plan worked, I’m restless. Now what? What if she doesn’t make it? What if the last time I saw her was when I failed to save her?
I can’t fail again. Not her. Not this time.
I jump to my feet and head to the bathroom. Shoving the door open, I turn on the water and splash some on my face. My skin is on fire. My muscles tight.
Leaning up against the wall, I cover my face with my hands. They shake, and I can’t seem to catch my breath.
I was so blind. I missed so much. I didn’t even remember her from when we were kids. But now I do. How could I have forgotten the first time I ever saw her?
Seven years old
“Boys?” my mother calls out from the other side of our backyard. “Come here.”
Kellan, Deke, and I run over to her. She smiles at us and then looks down to her side at a little girl. She has a mustard-colored shirt on and dirty jeans. Her brown hair is a mess, and it looks like her mommy hasn’t brushed it. My mom runs her hands over it as if to try and flatten the tangles.
“Who is she?” I ask.
“This …” She smiles proudly. “Is Austin. She’s gonna be living with Bruce for the summer.” My mom gives me a pointed look. One I know well. “So play nice with her.” She pats the girl on the back and walks away.
The green-eyed girl smiles at me, and I pull my lip back. “Austin’s a boy’s name,” I say.
Her smile disappears, and her eyes narrow on me.
“I think it’s pretty,” Kellan says, taking a step toward her.
“No one asked you.” Deke grabs him by the collar and yanks him back.
“Your mom said to be nice to me.” She places her hands on her hips.
“Yeah, well my mom’s not here anymore, is she?” I step forward and shove her backward. She trips over a rock and falls to her butt. “We don’t play with girls,” I spit out before we walk away.
If only I could go back, I would change so many things.
“Cole?” Deke calls out, popping his head in.
“What?”
“Shelby is out here …”
I shove past him and into the waiting area. Shelby stands with her back to me, talking to Becky and Bennett in a pair of light blue scrubs with her blond hair up in a ponytail. “Is she out?” I ask in a rush as I approach them.
She spins around and gives me a pointed look. “Cole—”
“I didn’t hurt her,” I interrupt Shelby, knowing where she is going with that look. “I promise. I was trying to save her.”
Her eyes soften, and she sighs. “No.”
I run a hand through my hair nervously. “What the hell is taking so long? Why are you out here?” Shouldn’t she be helping? I’m not exactly sure what she does here. I never cared until now.
Her lips thin at my question. “Listen, Cole. We both already know that you are not my favorite person. But I’m also the only way you’ll get any information.” I open my mouth, but she continues. “You are not family, so I’m breaking the law by telling you anything.”
I take a step back from her and nod. “You’re right. Thank you. I just need to know. Please?”
Her brows rise at my words as if she’s surprised. I’ve never said thank you before or told someone that they were right. Even if they were. But things are different now.
She takes in a deep breath. “I have to get back to work, but I just wanted to let you know that Dr. Roberts has removed the bullet. But she has lost a lot of blood and is not out of the woods yet.”
“Oh, dear God.” Becky gasps, placing a hand over her mouth.
“But she’s gonna be okay?” I ask, swallowing hard.
She looks at Deke and then back at me. “I can’t tell you that, Cole.”
“But you just said—”
“She has sustained very serious injuries,” she interrupts me. “Austin was lucky it missed her aorta ’cause she wouldn’t have had a chance. She would have bled to death within minutes.”
Becky spins around and buries herself into Deke’s shirt as she continues to sob. I feel numb.
She lowers her voice. “Austin went a very long time without oxygen to her brain.”
Becky sobs harder as Deke closes his eyes, releasing a long breath, and Bennett’s head drops to look at the floor. Me? My heart stops, and my eyes begin to sting. I feel like someone is sitting on my chest. So much pressure …
Shelby begins to pull away from us at our silence. “But everyone is doing everything they can. I need to get back to work. But I will keep you all updated when I get the chance.” Then she’s gone.
I find my way over to the chairs and fall into one. Bennett sits across from me and keeps his head bowed. Deke sits beside me and pulls a sobbing Becky onto his lap.
My face falls into my hands, and I try to swallow the lump in my throat. Come on, sweetheart. Just get through this …
“Has anyone called her mother?” Bennett asks, interrupting my thoughts.
He doesn’t know her past with her mother and her piece of shit boyfriend. “No need to,” I answer, clearing my throat and dropping my hands. His eyes meet mine, and then he nods once in understanding. He drops it.
Deke looks over at me and gives me a soft smile. He’s always helping me cover my tracks. That’s what brothers do.
Two months ago
Austin and I walk into Bruce’s house hand in hand after a night at the clubhouse. We’ve been on spring break, so we’ve been able to spend more time together than usual. “Austin? Is that you?” Celeste asks from the living room.
Austin doesn’t answer. We walk down the hall and into the living room. She comes to halt when we see two other people on the couch.
My hand tightens on hers immediately because I know exactly who it is. Austin has her dark green eyes and dark hair. The woman looks older than she should be. Dark circles under her eyes and face full of wrinkles. You can tell she’s done drugs. Hell, by the way her eyes are dilated right now, she may be fucking high.
“Mom?” she shrieks. “What the hell are you doing here?”
I’m not sure when she spoke to her last. I haven’t asked. I never do. Just that one time I pushed her enough to tell me when I went to see her during lunch while she was suspended. She opened up to me a little bit the morning after her beach party, but that’s it. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to know. I just saw how painful it was for her to talk about it, so I quit prying. I understand that your past needs to be buried and forgotten.
Her mother smiles at her. Then she looks at my hand holding hers before she looks me up and down. Then she looks back at Austin.
Celeste clears her throat and pushes her blond hair behind her ear nervously. “Your mother wanted to come and give you the good news in person,” she announces.
“Good news?” Austin asks.
Her mother’s smile grows, and she holds out her left hand. “We got married.”
No one says anything. I watch the man who sits next to her mother. Phillip is his name. I remember it from the morning after her beach party. When she told me about him going through the photos in her phone. His eyes rake over her in a way that makes my blood boil. Her hair looks freshly fucked from my hands being in it last night and again this mor
ning. She’s wearing my black zip-up hoodie and a pair of cotton shorts with her tennis shoes. That’s it. I ripped her shirt and bra off her last night. At the time, I enjoyed it. Now I want to wrap her up in a blanket. A slow smile spreads across his face as his eyes land between her legs.
I take a step forward, jerking on her hand. She pulls me to a stop.
“When did this happen?” Austin asks.
Why would her mother come here to tell her this? There’s another reason why she is here, and it’s not for her daughter.
“Two weeks ago.” She claps her hands. “On St. Paddy’s Day.”
What the fuck? “You married this piece of shit on your daughter’s birthday?” I growl, unable to keep my mouth shut any longer.
Her mother narrows her eyes on me, and the piece of shit husband stands. “I don’t know who you are, son, but I’d suggest you not talk to her mother that way.”
I snort. “I’m not your son, and she sure as hell is not a mother to her.”
The woman shoots to her feet. “Who the hell is this, Celeste?” she demands.
“His name is Cole, and he’s my boyfriend,” Austin snaps.
And I smile to myself. Yes, I am, and I will fucking kill both of you!
Celeste runs a hand through her hair. “I think it’s time you and Phillip go.” She clears her throat. “You got what you were promised.”
“Promised?” I question. There is their motive. Of course, her mother wouldn’t just come to see her. Even if it was to rub her marriage in her face. All she cares about is what Austin can get her. Money. And Bruce has plenty of that, but now that Austin is eighteen and about to graduate, that means no more money for her, so she’s going to cash in before she no longer can.
The man chuckles, throwing his arm over the woman’s shoulders. “It’s adult business, son. You wouldn’t understand.” Then he looks at Austin. He stares at her eye again. She still has the faint bruise from Kellan knocking her face into the mirror the night of her birthday party. “Guess I trained you right.” Then he looks at me and winks.
I fist my hand that’s not holding Austin’s. You’re dead!
“Out!” Celeste snaps.
Austin stands frozen next to me while they exit the room. Celeste follows them out, and Austin’s heavy breathing fills the large room.
“What the fuck was that?” I demand, releasing her hand.
Celeste joins us once again and sighs. “It’s nothing—”
“Bullshit!” I interrupt her, making Austin jump. “Why the hell were they here and what were they promised?” I know it has to be money. The question is why? Did Bruce plan on sending her back? He can’t. She’s eighteen now.
Celeste looks at Austin and then down at the floor.
She can move out of here. Stay with me. They can’t stop her now …
“I don’t want to know,” Austin says softly.
I look at her, and I hate the look of sadness on her face. How her mother, once again, showed her that she didn’t matter. It was all about the sorry bastard of a husband. “Austin …”
“I don’t care, Cole. Don’t you see? She got what she wanted. She got rid of me, and she got him to marry her.” She turns and walks out of the room, leaving me alone with Celeste.
“What did you do?” I growl, turning to her.
She places her hands up. “Nothing.”
“Bullshit!” I snap and advance on her. “What the fuck did you do, Celeste?”
She swallows nervously. “Her mother called me the other day …”
“And?” I demand when she trails off.
“And she said that Bruce promised her twenty thousand dollars.”
“That was if he sent her back!” I bark. “And that isn’t happening.” Bruce better not go back on our deal or I’ll do more than just steal his precious car. I’ll break both of his fucking legs. It didn’t look like her mother even wanted her back. Hell, she didn’t want her in the first place.
I yank my phone out of my pocket and send a quick text.
Me: You busy?
Deke reads it and responds right away.
Deke: I’m with Becky. What’s up?
Me: I have something that needs to be taken care of.
Deke: I can be ready whenever.
Me: Give me five.
I turn and go to exit the living room when Celeste grabs my arm and pulls me to a stop. “What are you gonna do?” she asks wide-eyed.
Something Bruce should have done a long fucking time ago. But I growl, “Nothing.” I’m not going to tell her anything about what I have planned.
I open Austin’s bedroom door to find her sitting on the end of her bed. I kneel in front of her. “I gotta go,” I tell her, pushing some hair from her face.
“Where are you going?” she asks softly. “I thought we were gonna take Lilly to the zoo?”
I nod. “Later. I got something I have to go do.” Standing up to my full height, I lean over and kiss her on the forehead. My phone starts to ring, and I pull it out of my pocket. Deke flashes across it, but I silence the call. “Why don’t you go and get Lilly and then meet me at the clubhouse,” I offer, and she nods.
“Here.” She stands and unzips my hoodie, exposing her naked chest to me.
My eyes fall to her tits, and my hands grab her hips. “Are you trying to distract me?” My voice is rough and my cock now hard. It’s working.
“No,” she answers. “Just thought you would want it back.”
I lean down and kiss her cheek. Then my eyes meet hers. She’s waiting for me to tell her where I’m going, but she’s not going to get it. Some things are better left unknown. And as much as I hate to leave her, I have something that needs to be done. I turn and walk out of her room. As I exit the front door, I call Deke back.
“Hey, man. What’s up?” He answers on the second ring.
I throw my car into gear and squeal the tires, driving around the five-tier fountain. “Austin’s mother is in town. With her new husband.”
“Okay,” he says slowly.
I take in a deep breath. I haven’t told Deke what I know about Austin and her now stepdad. Only Shane knows, and as far as I’m concerned, he’s kept his mouth shut. “They were waiting for Austin when we walked into Bruce’s house.”
“And?”
“And they need to be taken care of,” I answer. It’s that simple.
“Where do you want me to meet you?” he asks without hesitation.
And just like that, he offers his help. That is why Deke is my best friend. He’s down for anything at any time.
It wasn’t hard for us to find them. We went to the cheapest hotel Collins offers, which was right outside of town, closest to the airport, and there they were. Deke and I watched them enter their room at the very end of the property. There weren’t many cars in the parking lot, which works in our favor, but we couldn’t do anything about it at the time. I wasn’t going to risk getting caught. We came up with a solid plan, and I rushed back to the clubhouse to shower and get ready to go out with Austin and Lilly to the zoo. I ended up punching the wall while in the shower, busting my knuckles open. When Austin showed up, she looked down at them. I knew what she was thinking, but I didn’t admit anything, and she didn’t come out and ask. I would have lied anyway.
Later that evening after Austin went home, Deke came over and picked me up, and we went and sat outside of the hotel room, waiting for the right time.
We had our duffle bags with us. I knocked on the door like anyone else would, and Phillip opened it. Shoving the door into his face, I knocked him back into the room. Deke slammed the door shut. He had her face down on the bed before she could even scream. He placed duct tape over her mouth and then used the tape to tie her hands behind her back along with her ankles. I did the same with the husband. And then we threw hoods over their heads and shoved them into the back of Deke’s SUV. We took them to the docks where our fathers kept their yachts. There is an abandoned warehouse back there that they used to load
and unload the shipping containers. They built a new one on the other side of town but haven’t demolished this one yet. No one ever goes there.
We drag them out of the back of the SUV and bring them into a small room that was once an office. A blue tarp covers the concrete floor. Deke was already here earlier while I was at the zoo with Austin and Lilly.
We sit them each in a chair and yank the hood off the woman. She kicks and thrashes in her chair while Deke pulls the rope out of his duffle bag and wraps it around her chest, stomach, and then her legs to tie her to the chair, making sure she can’t kick us or get up.
We turn to face her husband. He still has his hood on.
I rip it off, and he looks up at me with tears running down his face. He looks at his wife. She screams behind her taped mouth. Tears run down her face.
He jumps to his feet. We didn’t tie him to the chair because where’s the fun in that?
I toss the bastard into his arms. Deke pulls the man’s back to his front. One arm wraps around his waist, the other goes to clamp his nose, planning on suffocating him. He fights him, shaking his head.
“No.” I stop him. “That would be too easy.”
Deke chuckles and leans down to whisper in the guy’s ear. “I don’t know what you did to piss him off, but thanks.”
I start digging through his pockets. I smile when I come to a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. I remove one and let the rest fall to the tarp-covered floor.
“You know, smoking will kill you,” I say, placing it between my lips.
I take the Zippo lighter, flip it open, and light the end of the cigarette, then take a long drag. Fuck, it’s been almost a year since I’ve had one. I forgot how potent nicotine can be. I’m surprised I don’t miss it. “I used to smoke when I drank.” He starts rambling nonsense behind his gag. Blood runs down his busted nose from where I hit it with the hotel door. “Then Deke here dared me to smoke an entire pack one night.” I smile at that memory. “Well, let’s just say I never touched them after that.”
I frown when I take another drag. “It’s not the same anymore.” Nodding to Deke, I order, “Hold his head back.”
DARE SERIES COLLECTION Page 42
