Odette’s fake bravado has disappeared again and Marcus nods.
I pray they listen for once.
Giving them a last glance, I turn and let out the breath I am holding. My entire body quakes with anxiety, my chest pounds from the confrontation. Another first for me. I haven’t stood up to others before. Raising my eyebrows in disbelief, I march to the elevator, almost collapsing thinking of how I spoke moments before.
Trying to keep upright, I run out of the building hoping to see Ocean waiting by the car.
He’s not there.
Damn.
Swiveling my head, I search the dimming streets, looking for any sign of him but there’s nothing.
“Ocean?” Feeling crazed, I yell repeatedly. The street stays empty.
Opening the car, I start it and drive slowly down the street, stopping to look down side streets but it’s deserted. Ten minutes I circle the neighboring roads, only to be honked at and sworn at. Ocean’s disappeared.
My anxiety has reached peak levels and my churning stomach is ready to unleash. How must Ocean be feeling?
Pulling up, I rest my head on the steering wheel and think only of each breath.
I have to let Slate know. He needs people around him or he might do something stupid.
Reaching for my cell, I hit Emerald’s number.
“Phoebe? You okay?”
“No.” Still breathless, I try and slow down. “Ocean’s gone.”
“Where?” I can hear the uncertainty in her voice.
“I don’t know. He had a huge fight at his sister’s place with his mother.”
“Fuck. Slate, get the guys.” I listen to her voice, organizing everything. “Tell me where you are.”
“A few blocks from Melody’s apartment. I’ve been circling for a good half hour and there’s no sign of him.”
“You need to come here now. Slate will handle it. They have ways of finding him.”
Sighing in relief, I don’t question what she means, but am glad she has faith Ocean will be found. “He’s not in a good frame of mind. Probably worse than the night all of this started.” My voice rises.
“Phoebe. I need you to come here. Ocean put a key on your car keys, so you can access the elevator and come straight up. I want you here asap.”
Strong and firm, her voice settles me. I know I’ve done the right thing calling them.
“Thank you, Emerald.”
“That’s what we do, girl. We look after our family.”
Whack…
Smash…
Crack…
My opponent is one of the best. I knew it when I stepped in the ring and was hopeful he would beat the crap out of me, sending me to oblivion for a while. Max had let me slip into a fight. After dealing with my mother, I needed it.
I didn’t want to scare Phoebe any more than I already had, this was the next option. Killing my mother in front of my beautiful, gentle girl, possibly wouldn’t have been a good idea.
Sweat drips off my limbs, my arms heavy jabbing into the solid body of the guy. Blood drizzles down my chest. I’m making no impact on my opponent. I know it’s ‘cause I’m fighting emotionally and not strategically.
But I want to make someone else hurt and wipe myself out, my insides are shredded into tiny pieces.
Killing Colton relieved nothing, and Melody didn’t come back because of it.
Nothing can bring her back.
My arm rears back and I slam it into the guy’s cheek. His head swings back and his feet reel backward. The ref, which is too strong of a word, more like the poor chump who Max stands in the ring to ensure we don’t kill each other, watches him and I take the chance to swallow some air, replenishing my depleted breaths.
Fighting isn’t my thing, only occasionally having a round or two when I’m bored or frustrated. A heaviness weighs throughout me tonight, my eyes already swollen from the tears I’d shed and now the thumping they’ve taken. Exhausted, I want it to be over. A dwindling fire in my stomach and too much emotional baggage I just want this gut-wrenching day to end.
A blow hits my side, then another, my arms try to protect me but I’m too slow. A hand rips through my face and then again, battering me completely. My sight’s blurry and my neck is like Jell-O. An uppercut under the chin knocks my feet from underneath means blackness instantly falls.
I’d accomplished what I had set out to do.
Annihilate myself.
“You should have heard her. It was disgusting.” Sipping a hot chocolate, the heat fuels the fire burning within.
“We’ve heard it before. Melody didn’t listen to a bad word her mother said about Ocean. She knew who he was and what he did. She was proud of him.” Emerald sits across from me at Ocean’s huge table.
“Did his father back Ocean up?” Lace has dark rings around her eyes, tiredness from being heavily pregnant and an emotional day weighing on her.
“No, he only stood there and listened.” My hairs spike thinking how he didn’t back his son up once. “But he did embrace Ocean for a few minutes alone. Ocean and he looked at peace in that short time.”
Crystal nods her head, continuing to rock Jayce in her arms.
“I don’t blame him for leaving the way he did. She was lucky he didn’t snap there and take her out. No one could have blamed Ocean if he did. My fists were clenched and her hatred wasn’t aimed at me.”
“It is the best thing they live far away.” Emerald stands and helps herself to another cup.
“How long do you think they will stay?”
“They only stay a few days when they come out. The flight time obviously doesn’t worry them, because they no sooner arrive then they leave.”
“In this instance, I’m glad they’ll be gone soon.”
The girls were in Ocean’s apartment immediately when I called Emerald telling them I was in the parking lot. I needed a code to come in and I had no clue. My small Mazda looked out of place among the muscle street cars which gave me a small laugh. I’m so out of my league here.
“Ocean and Melody usually have dinner together when they’re around, but Ocean only goes to please Melody. He’s going to be lost without her.” Lace hugs her stomach and bows her head.
“We’re all going to miss her.” Crystal wipes her eyes and we all agree.
“I feel bad, because I’ve been harping to Ocean about not knowing my mother, her leaving me at such a young age and how upset I was because she left. I never considered how hard it must have been for Ocean living with his mother’s nastiness.”
“Ocean is a fixer. He wants to save and fix any problems of the people he loves. This includes you, Phoebe. It’s in his blood. The only thing he wants is for his family to be happy and safe. Ocean doesn’t show his hurt. He bottles it up. This is why you will need to watch him for a while. And call us anytime you think he’s going to explode.”
I take in Emerald’s words.
“Ocean may act fine, laugh, get on with work but he takes on everyone’s emotions, and at the moment this will be too much for him.”
A rattle at the door stops us.
“We found him.” Caden holds the door open and Slate and Tanner prop Ocean up under his arms, helping him to walk. My stomach flips, worry creases my face looking at him. My hands start wringing on my lap. I can’t stand, my legs are shaking.