Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 124451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
Riley doesn’t respond, knowing how fucking right I could be, but my mind is already somewhere else. “Talk to me, Hudson,” I call over my shoulder, hoping he can hear me from the bottom of the hill as my gaze snaps across to Colby’s lifeless body, his chest still not moving up and down. “Tell me Addison’s alright.”
Hudson’s agonized grunt rumbles across the hill, and I glance back to find him dropping to his knees with Addie tucked tightly against his blood-soaked chest. “I don’t know,” he says, his voice filled with the worst kind of pain that destroys something deep in my soul. “I don’t know how to help her.”
Ilaria and Chanel barrel in beside him, looking over Addison’s face as Hudson falls apart, his whole world flashing before his eyes. “She’s still breathing,” Ilaria calls back, desperately searching over her. “But she’s lost a lot of blood. I … I think she’s going to be alright.”
Clenching my jaw, I close my eyes for a brief moment, trying to force myself to take a calming breath as I press harder against Bri’s wound. “Her clothes?” I ask Ilaria, not sure if I’m ready for her answer. “Are they … did he hurt her again?”
“I … I don’t know. It’s hard to say,” she calls back up the hill, trying to wrestle her out of Hudson’s arms, needing to apply pressure to her wounds. “They’re torn, but they’re intact. I think maybe he tried but didn’t get what he wanted.”
Hudson lays her down, barely holding himself together at the thought of losing the girl he loves. Ilaria and Chanel dive for her at the same time, pulling at her clothes and searching for her injuries until they find a deep stab wound just below her chest. Chanel gasps as Ilaria shoves her hands against Addie’s body to stop the bleeding. Hudson takes Addie’s face in his hands and begs her to wake up.
I can’t watch any longer and look back at Bri, sending silent prayers to anyone who will listen.
The sirens drown out Addison’s familiar cry, but it’s all I need to keep breathing. She’s going to be alright. Addie has been through worse and overcome the impossible. But if that fucker raped her again … I don’t know what version of my sister I’ll get back after this.
I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing or how I will get through this. All I know is, if Addie, Bri, or Jax die here tonight, I’ll never forgive myself. Addison left to go to the bathroom, and I should have insisted on walking her, but I was too fucking busy getting my dick wet with my girl. And Jax … he shouldn’t have been anywhere near Colby. That was my fight, my business, and now my cousin has suffered the consequences of my mistakes.
I should have kept my cool. I should have known something like this would happen, especially after dropping Colby’s ass at the courthouse. He was not a forgiving man, and I knew that. Colby was reckless and out for blood, just as I was, and now because of my actions, the people I love are dropping like flies.
I lost control—the one thing I promised Bri I wouldn’t do.
I gave her my word that she’d never have to see that side of me again and now here we are. She’s hurt because I couldn’t stop the rage, couldn’t keep myself from making irrational decisions. Colby swung his knife over and over again while Bri stood at my back trying to pull me away, and instead of listening to her and seeing the danger I was putting her in, I was thinking of myself. I needed to see the life fade from his eyes, needed to get justice for what he did to my sister, for what he did to Bri.
And now … fuck.
I’ve killed a man.
My hands shake, and the only thing keeping me calm is the way Bri’s hand shifts from the blood-soaked grass and curls around my wrist, her grip barely tight enough to hold on. I meet her teary expression, and the overwhelming bullshit circling my mind begins to ease, just as it always does whenever those blue eyes are locked on mine. The world fades away, and all I see is her.
“It hurts,” she whispers as Riley wipes another tear off the side of her face.
“I know, baby,” I murmur, swallowing hard over the lump in my throat, doing everything I can to appear strong for her. “That’s a good thing. If you can still feel it, that means you can fight through it. You’re going to be alright. I promise I’m not letting you go.”
Her fingers tighten around my wrist, and I see nothing but fear shining through her stare. “You’re scared,” she tells me.