“Daaaaaddy!” Mila’s wailing, frantic, as she skids into the kitchen. “Daddy! Cody fell. He’s hurt re-re-real bad. Logan says it’s an emer-emer-gency.”
One minute Ethan’s staring at me with so much emotion in his eyes, I want to weep. The next, he’s gone, picking up his daughter and racing out the back door.
I watch it slam shut.
When I make sense of what just happened, that the baby is injured, I start to follow, but Allison grips my arm, digging her nails into my skin.
Her voice, toxic and bloodthirsty, is in my ear. “Get the fuck out of my house before I call the police. Unless you’d like another arrest on your record.” She rattles off things she could lie about. That I stole jewelry or hurt the children or did drugs.
I’m standing there in stunned silence when two large hands grab me from behind and drag me down the hallway where I’m shoved out the front door.
I land on my ass and gasp for breath because the wind gets knocked out of me.
White spots dot my vision as I stare up at Jamie’s furious face, but I’m scrambling back toward my car. Ignoring the voices. Ignoring the yelling.
Although everything in me is screaming to check on Cody, he’s with his dad, and Ethan will know what to do. There’s no one better to take care of the baby.
Jamie reaches again for me, his hulking figure something straight from my nightmares, and I stumble for my car.
I have to get away before he does something worse than push me.
I need the one person who’s always had my back.
My sister.
Tori
“Does it hurt?” Kat’s sweet voice washes over me.
I’m too weary to sugarcoat it tonight. “Yeah.” My sister looks weepy as she stares at the angry purple bruises painting both of my biceps. I don’t tell her about the one on my ass. “But I’m okay.” Physically, at least.
I’m sprawled out on the couch in her living room, and Brady is pacing back and forth in front of us. “That goddamn asshole. I’m gonna rip his arms off his fucking body.”
Brady didn’t take any of this well, especially not the part where Jamie picked me up and physically threw me out of the house.
“I appreciate the sentiment, but you will do no such thing.” I motion to Kat’s enormous belly. “Stork alert. We got a baby about to land over here. You ending up in jail is not the way to kick things off. And we both know you’re the one who bails me out. Not the other way around.”
Neither of us laugh at my lame joke. I have to keep Brady out of trouble, though. He’s been there for me too many times over the years to let him get tangled up in my mess.
The mention of babies has me thinking about Cody, and I blink back the heat in my eyes. I hope he’s okay. That whatever happened tonight wasn’t too serious.
“Have you called Ethan?” my sister asks.
I shake my head, hot tears stinging my cheeks. The truth is I’ve been too scared to call. I know I should be brave, but I’m tired. So fucking tired. I don’t have the heart to chase after Ethan. I’ve laid it on the line, and if he wants me, he knows where to find me.
But he doesn’t call.
My phone sits still on the coffee table, its black screen taunting me.
Eventually, I stop checking it.
Kat lets me cry on her shoulder, and tonight I don’t hold back.
Tonight, it’s a dark torrent, this love. Full and unyielding. Crashing through me and carving out the last tender parts of my heart.
I let it cut.
Because when it’s done, I won’t wallow.
I won’t let myself fall apart over another man.
Not again.
Not ever.
With a final click of the mouse, I force myself to smile. This is good, I remind myself. It doesn’t matter that I feel like death because I’m moving forward. I’ve registered for my classes this fall, and that’s positive.
Yes, I’m utterly heartbroken that Ethan and I are probably over, and while I’d love to curl up in a ball for the next week and eat my weight in ice cream, I won’t let myself go that route.
Ignoring my swollen, itchy eyes, I set Kat’s laptop on the kitchen table and reach for her hand. “Thanks,” I whisper. “For everything.”
“Anytime. I mean that.”
She looks exhausted, and I feel guilty for bawling all over her last night, but that’s what sisters are for, right? “I know you do. That’s why you’re my favorite sister.”
We smile at each other like fools.
“Morning.” Brady comes stomping in and pauses when he sees us.
I wave him in. “I’m done crying. You can do whatever you have to do.”
He tells Kat he needs to pick up his check at the tattoo parlor in Austin, and then he’ll get Izzy from his parents’ house. “It shouldn’t take longer than two hours.” Worry knits his brows. “But maybe I should ask one of the guys to drop off the check.”
I squeeze my sister’s hand. “I’ve got Kat. If anything happens, I’m right here.” He frowns, and I mock being offended. “What? I watch all those medical shows. Grey’s Anatomy, reruns of ER, House. I got you, bro.” Plus, my parents are driving up later today. They want to be here the moment this baby arrives.
Still frowning, he kisses his wife’s forehead. “You’re sure you’re okay? You moaned all night.”
“Oh my God, you guys.” I cover my ears. “Too much information!”
Brady snickers and shakes his head. “She was moaning because she’s so pregnant, doofus. Not because I was giving her the midnight express.”
“LOL.” Thank God.
My sister laughs. “I don’t think you’re supposed to say LOL in person.”
“Says who? I do things my way. You do it yours.” I’m difficult, but she knows this.
Brady eventually leaves after we assure him—again—that Kat’s fine.
The first half hour alone goes well. We drink this weird ginger pregnancy tea, and I make my sister some scrambled eggs.
But then my luck goes south.
Really south.
Because her water breaks.
Kat looks at me like I’m crazy. “Let’s just wait for Brady.”
“He’s probably in Austin right now, and your contractions are five minutes apart. Five. Why didn’t you tell me your back hurt all night?”
“I didn’t think they were contractions!” Her voice is wheezy since she’s trying to breathe through the pain.
“Look, I’m driving you to the hospital. It’ll be fine. If we hurry, we’ll beat the noon rush. Bet you can pop out this baby before dinner. I’m a speed demon when I want to be, remember? We can drag-race on the way there.”
Her death grip on my hand makes me pause. “Stop trying to be funny.”
“I’m not trying. I’m naturally funny. Now get your ass in the truck. Come on, I’ll help you waddle.” In the meanwhile, hopefully Brady will get my messages and haul himself back here.
Except, shit. Now we’re headed to the hospital. Whatever. One crisis at a time.
We only make it to the Lone Star diner when I have to pull over because Kat says she has to push.