Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 87573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Whitt blinked, and I turned away before he could see the tears in my eyes.
“Dad would have let her go to jail,” I continued. “And maybe that was the one thing he was right about, but I couldn’t let it happen. I loved her so much, and on some level, I understood the appeal. I, too, was using someone to not have to think about the world around me. To not have to feel the pain of loss and resentment.
“So, Dad and I made a deal. I’d send her to rehab. I’d pay for her stay. And when she was done, she’d come to live with him to finish her senior year instead of him releasing her to the state. That’s where the money went. I’ve been helping take care of her ever since.”
Whitt nearly choked on those last words. “Eve, that’s terrible.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re wrong, you know? Your dad still is the problem.”
I shrugged. “Yeah, he’s an asshole. He was supposed to watch her.” I blew out heavily. “But I can’t place all the blame on him. She chose this, and now, she’s missing. And I don’t know if she’s in the gutter somewhere or…” I couldn’t say the words. I couldn’t even think it.
“We’ll find her,” Whitt said.
I froze at those words.
“No,” I said slowly. “No, I’ll find her.”
I took a step backward. He didn’t understand. There was no we in this situation. I was responsible for Bailey, and I was going to have to be the one to go down there and find her.
“I have to do this alone.”
“Eve, you don’t have to do this alone. I can help.” He ran a hand back through his hair and I saw him step into planning mode, where he existed best. “It’s been more than twenty-four hours. You need to file a missing persons report and…”
I took another step back in horror. “No. Do you know what they’ll do if they find her?”
“Would you rather not find her?”
“I’d rather get down there and exhaust all options before I get the police involved. They’re not going to help her. They’re going to just make everything worse. I can handle this.”
“I know you can, but… “
“You don’t understand.”
“Then, make me understand,” he said, stepping toward me.
“I’m all she has. I have to find her.” I grabbed my purse and stuffed the phone back into it. “I don’t have time to argue with you about this.”
“We’re not arguing, and I’m happy to drive you.”
“I said, no,” I snapped before I could stop myself.
I knew he wanted to help. I could see he was just offering because he cared, and yet all of my defenses went up at his words. Whitt needed to be in control. It was a joke between us in our sex life. I enjoyed it in that context, but he didn’t get to insert himself into a situation in which he didn’t belong.
“Eve.”
“No,” I repeated. “I don’t care if that makes me stubborn or whatever you want to say, but she’s my sister. This is my problem. I just need some…space.”
He took a sharp breath at the word space. I hadn’t meant it that way, but it was true, wasn’t it? I needed space.
“I have to go to Midland. I have to find Bailey. Every second that we stand here, arguing, is another second I am not on my way to her.”
Whitt set his jaw and nodded. “Okay. Then, let’s go.” He grabbed his car keys and wallet off of the table and wrenched the door open for me. “After you.”
I took a deep breath and exited the hotel room. I hated the hardness in his voice, but there was nothing else I could do. I couldn’t deal with Whitt’s feelings right now.
Once I found Bailey, I’d be able to think clearly again.
Not before then.
29
Whitton
I watched her drive away with a stone in my stomach. I couldn’t shake the feeling that space meant space. No matter how she’d meant it.
Space.
She wanted space.
I closed my eyes and dropped my head onto the steering wheel. I’d driven her home. I told her to call me when she found out what had happened with Bailey. And then I’d let her go.
What else was I supposed to do?
She had made it perfectly clear that she didn’t want my help. No matter how much I wanted to give it to her. I wouldn’t be the kind of guy who forced himself into a situation.
This wasn’t about me. It was about Bailey. Her sister had to be her first priority. If it were my sister, I’d do anything I could to make sure she was safe, damn the consequences. And with Bailey’s history, I could hardly blame Eve for being worried.
It wasn’t like she’d said we were breaking up or anything.
No. Space wasn’t break. Wasn’t break up.
But that didn’t mean that I couldn’t see what she was doing by using the word with me. I’d memorized Eve’s expressions. Yesterday, I’d used them to save her from dealing with the party after Arnold’s humiliation. Today, she wouldn’t let me save her from anything.