Page 40 (1/2)

I don’t kno I did it I don’t kno I let go of Les long enough to stand up I don’t kno I found the strength to even stand When Itheir jackets He took hers and turned around to hang it on the coatrack She glanced up at an to walk down the stairs toward her My body was so weak, I was taking the her the whole way

I don’t know if she had mother’s intuition or if she could just tell by the look on my face what had happened, but she started to shake her head and back away from me

I started to cry and she started to panic and she continued to back away fro back and forth between us, not understanding at all as going on

She turned around and gripped the doorfraainst the door while she squeezed her eyes shut It was like she was trying to shut me out If she shut me out, she wouldn’t have to face the truth

Her body was racked with grief and she was crying so hard, there wasn’t even a sound co the botto as she gave the word devastated a whole newI truly believed, at that point, that the word devastated should be reserved for er believe that

The word devastated should be reserved for brothers, too

"Les," I whisper, turning away froainst the doorfrain to cry so hard that I’m not even able to make a sound My chest hurts and my throat hurts, but my heart has just been completely obliterated

Sky comes up behind me She wraps her arms around me and tries to comfort me in whatever way she can, but I can’t feel it I can’t feel her and I can’t feel the devastation any a at hih self-control I wrapher presence can help cal that could cal

He’s the reason He’s the reason for all of it

He’s why Les isn’t here anymore He’s what broke Hope He’s the reasonof devastation This bastard is who stole th away from her, and I want him dead But I want to be the one to do it

I remove my arm from around Sky and push her away from me I turn to face her father, but she steps between us, facing ainstto push me out the door I shove her out of the way because I don’t knohat I’et hurt

I begin to step toward him, but he reaches behind the couch, then quickly turns and holds up a gun I honestly wouldn’t even care that he’s holding a gun, but my protective instinct kicks in when I think about Sky, so I pause He pulls the radio to his un trained on me the entire time he speaks into it

"Officer down at thirty-five twenty-two Oak Street"

His words iister in my head and I realize what he’s about to do

No

No, no, no

Not in front of Sky

He turns his gun on himself, then looks at her "I’m so sorry, Princess," he whispers

I close un at hiins to screaht when he falls to the floor, causing her to scream even louder

I clamp my hand over her mouth and immediately pull her out the front door She’s too hysterical to carry right now, so I just drag her behind h et into the car We need to get the hell out of here before anyone finds out ere ever here Because if anyone finds out ere here, Sky’s world will never be the same

When I reach the car I keep ainst her door, looking her hard in the eyes "Stop," I tell her "I need you to stop screaorously, wide-eyed "Do you hear that?" I say, trying to get her to understand the raht now "Those are sirens, Sky They’ll be here in less than a et in the car and be as calet out of here"

She nods again so I remove my hand and quickly shove her into the car I rush around to the driver’s side and climb in, then crank the car and pull away She leans forward in the seat and drops her head between her knees She keeps saying, "No, no, no" under her breath, all the way back to the hotel

Chapter Forty-five

Once we’re back inside our hotel roo one of her mo to bring her out of it It’s probably best if she stays like this for a while

I pull off my shirt, which is now covered in blood I remove my socks and shoes and jeans and toss the and I re to hurry so I can get her in the shower and wash it off She finally turns to face me with a blank expression I lay her jacket across the chair next to us, then lift her shirt over her head

I reach down to the button on her jeans and undo it, then begin to lower them When I reach her feet, she just stands still I look up at her "I need you to step out of them, babe"