Page 109 of All Our Ghosts

Becca shoves my shoulder, pulling back from me with a frown. "You'd never murder your brothers."

"If they stare at your ass in these dresses I will," I say, capturing her lips.

Slotting myself between her legs, I tug at the hem of her dress. As soon as the garage doors shut, I had her back against my toolbox. With the lid flipped closed it took me two seconds to plant her there and kiss her how I've been wanting to do all fucking day.

My favorite smile grows on her lips as my hands roam up her thighs, sliding further to where I knew she wanted me. "We have to tell them sometime, Cole."

I hum, dropping my head to her chest and kissing along the swell of her breasts. Becca pulls back again leaning against the wall behind her and digs her fingers into my beard as she cups my face. "I'm serious. We've been secretive for long enough."

Sighing, I relent on my attack on her skin. We've had this conversation a million times and it's always the same. "Your brother is going to kill me."

"My brother is in prison," she says, nipping at my bottom lip, making it harder to focus on what she's saying.

"He also gets out today," I counter. "If he knew what I've been doing to his sister, he'd kill me."

She lets out a soft whine as my hand cups her breast. "I need you to tell him the truth. I can't lie worth shit to Holden, you know that."

"Baby, I really don't want to be having this conversation with my hand practically in you and the other around your tit," I huff against her skin again and pull back. I cage her in with my hands on either side of her hips on the toolbox. "You really want to tell him?" I ask, searching her eyes.

Becca nods as she combs her fingers through my hair. “Tomorrow though. Tonight, after your meeting, I want you all to myself before shit hits the fan.”

“That’s a great vote of confidence,” I laugh. “You mean you want one more roll around the sheets before I’m a dead man.”

She grins and I swear it lights up the entire shop despite the fluorescent bulbs still lit above us. “Better make it worth it then.”

I groan, pulling her into my arms and nuzzle against her neck again. "Fine, but I'm haunting this perfect ass if I die."

"Deal." She giggles as I dig my fingers into her ribs.

The meeting went far longer than I fucking expected. Stokes droned on about getting new girls at Moon. I wasn't interested. I was pretty sure where the girls were coming from and I wanted nothing to fucking do with it but I didn't have a choice because I couldn't prove it.

More than once, I checked the time on my phone and each time after the first I hadn't missed the way Holden watched me. I knew I needed to chill but all I could think about was getting back to her. For years, Becca invaded my mind. Her laugh, her smile. Everything about her felt like sunshine on the cloudiestdays and I want nothing more than for my darkness to be swallowed whole by her light.

Once Holden was picked up by Stokes, we grew closer until one night I couldn't take it anymore. That kiss was still burned in my mind and since then she had rooted herself so deep in my veins I never wanted her to leave.

As soon as the meeting finished, I climbed on my bike and headed towards our spot. The bridge we'd go to as kids and one that Becca and I claimed over the last year and a half while Holden was away. More than once we've snuck out during the day or at night to get a few moments of peace. Which usually leads to us crawling into her bed at an ungodly hour and spending our time lost in each other until the sun comes up.

Flashing lights flicker on the road ahead of me. Odd for Highway Two. I know the patrols only come out here at night for animals or straggling hitchhikers, but the ambulance and firetruck that come into view make my stomach roll. I pull off behind Watson's squad car and climb off my bike, hanging my helmet over the handlebar and move towards the lights.

“Sir you can’t be–” An EMT starts but as soon as her tail lights come into view, I push past them.

“Becca!” I yell, shoving past the young man.

Watson spins around, his eyes wide as I round the edge of her car. Her door is wide open, the dome light still lit, and her keys still in the ignition.

"Becca!" Frantically I look through the windows, hoping to see her sitting there and that this is just a misunderstanding but as soon as Watson's arm stops me, holding me back I know it isn't.

"O'Neil, you can't be here," he shakily says.

"Where is she, Watson?" I yell. "Becca!"

He shakes his head. "We got a call about an abandoned vehicle..." he starts but stops and swallows tightly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't! Don't fucking apologize, Where is she?!" I shove Watson back, pushing my way through the row of firefighters and EMTs that stand surrounding her.

Her foot comes into view first and my stomach drops. My entire world tilts on its axis as the rest of her body comes into view. "No, no, no, no," I whine, "Becca?"

"O'Neil!" I hear Watson yell behind me but everything begins to fade. The lights of the trucks and cars turn dim and the only thing I see is her. The bruises on her face make her almost unrecognizable. The dress I teased her about earlier was ripped, exposing the rest of her legs that have their own smattering of dark bruises.

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