Page 48 of Ashton

Me: Are you? You wanted this to happen, and then you ditch out. I’m not surprised.

Witch: I was busy.

I glance at Jinx, and she’s shaking.

“What’s wrong, Jinx?”

“It’s Dad.”

Chapter twenty-two

Jinx

My world is spiraling. Tonight was supposed to be the best night of my life. I should be out celebrating with the guys, cheering Maddox on his huge accomplishment, and mentally killing Von, Lula, and Piper because we all know how that’s gonna be going—a nasty threesome.

Instead, I am racing across the courtyard to the main building in a stupid dress I shouldn’t be wearing. I knew I should’ve gone and found Dad before I went on that stage. He has never been late to one of my concerts in all these years. I wasn’t thinking straight.

The flashing lights coming down the road made my heart sink to my stomach when Florence sent me amessage. She didn’t say much, just that Dad was in his office and to come quick. My fear is he had a heart attack earlier, and no one noticed.

I race into the office where Florence waits, silent tears rolling down her cheek. When she sees me, she stands, sending her office chair flying across the small space.

“Odette, I’m sorry. I should’ve checked on him sooner. I haven’t moved him. I was waiting for the paramedics.”

“I need to see him.” I swallow the lump creeping up my throat. I won’t believe anything until I see him.

“Jinx, you don’t want to go in there. You have no clue what you’ll find.” Atticus grabs my wrist. “Seriously, Jinx, don’t go in there.”

I pull out of his grip. “I need to. You can come, but I’m going.”

“Baby, I think you should wait for the paramedics.”

“Listen to them, Odette. Stay out of there. Please,” Florence begs.

I ignore them, moving down the hallway. The wooden doors I’ve walked through countless times now seem like a brick wall. Once I cross them, my life will forever be changed. The future will be written in stone, and I won’t be able to change it. With a shaky hand, I slowly push the door open.

The office is dark, and a coppery scent fills the air. Why wouldn’t Florence tell me about the blood?

“Jinx, don’t go any further. I think this is a crime scene,” Ashton spoke in a strained voice.

I take another step further, and the outline of Dad collapsed on his desk comes into view.

“Dad?” my voice croaking the closer I got to him. My hand trembled as I reached for him. A hand wraps around my wrist, pulling it away.

“Stop. You don’t have to do this alone. We are here with you.”

I turn and take in a watery vision of Atticus. “Okay,” I mutter.

Ashton moves around, placing a finger on Dad’s neck. He turned his face, and his gaze slipped to the floor.

My world ended in that second.

The brain is a funny thing. It has a way of protecting you when it thinks it needs to. I need to remember this moment to recall how Dad looked for the last time. But the only thing I can remember is when he came and visited me in my dorm the other day before the concert, telling me how proud he was and how he couldn’t wait to cheer for me. He will forever be my biggest supporter.

Atticus pulls me out of the way as the paramedics rush into the office and move to where Dad is resting. When they pull him away from the desk, my knees buckle when I see the hole in his chest. Atticus wraps his arms around me tighter.

“What the fuck,” Maddox whispered, gobsmacked.

“Where the fuck is his heart?” Ashton called out.

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