Page 55 of Manny

His gaze meets mine. “Just you and him.”

He kisses my nose. “Let’s keep it that way,Princess. Don’t wanna complicate things even more.”

I take a deep breath. I need to get this off my chest… “There’s probably something you should know about?—”

My phone rings, blaring out into the quiet room. The movie stopped eons ago; the illumination from the screen is the only light in the room. I let it ring out, though it’s late, and nobody ever rings me unless… the phone rings again. I move off Manny as he tosses me his shirt and I slide it over my body. I grab my phone off the coffee table and check the screen. It’s my brother.Shit.The one thing I’m terrified of is judgment from him about this. He definitely wouldn’t approve, and he still sees me as his kid sister with pigtails and a gunshot wound. He’s always been overly protective, but after the trauma of our childhood, he stepped it up ten thousand notches.

“Riot?” I know the news is bad before I even hear his voice.

“Lace, it’s Charles.”

Panic hits me from all sides. “What’s wrong?”

“He… the stupid old fool fell off the fuckin’off a ladder tryin’ to get on the roof.”

Manny lifts from the couch, wiping his stomach with a wad of tissues as he watches me, concerned.

“Is he… is he gonna be okay?”

“He’s in the hospital, I’m gonna swing by and pick you up. I knew you’d want to be there.”

My hand flies over my face. “Jesus, Riot. I’m scared.”

Manny mouths ‘what’s wrong?’ and I wave him off, picking up my underwear as I hold the phone to my ear.

“We’ll know more when we get to the hospital. He may have a fractured pelvis, a broken arm, and a head injury. But he’s as tough as nails, you know that.” It sounds like Riot is more trying to convince himself, rather than me.

Tears well in my eyes. Charles is the father I should’ve had. The man who took us both in when our parents died. It’s gut wrenching imagining him injured and hurting. I can’t blink back the tears.

“Okay, but Manny can take me.” I glance at him as he nods and mouths, ‘of course.’

“If you’re sure?”

“I’ll be there soon.”

He hangs up. I drop my phone into my lap as I sit on the end of the couch. “It’s my dad,” I whisper. “Charles, well, he’s not my real dad, but he may as well be. He raised me and Myles when wewere…” I trail off, unable to say anymore. I only ever use Riot’s real name when I’m trying to embarrass him, or when recalling our childhood.

Manny’s pulling on his jeans, jumping into action as I sit there in shock. I mean, I know it’s just an accident, but it sounded pretty severe. My brother is right; Charles is as tough as an old boot. He’ll be okay. He has to be okay.

Manny puts a hand on my shoulder, holding his hoodie in one hand as he pulls it gently over my head. “I met him,” he reminds me. Oh, I forgot about that. It was when Riot was kidnapped and Cash, Manny and Charles rescued him. “He’s been hurt?”

I nod. “We need to go to the hospital.”

“Okay.” He kisses the top of my head. “Anything you want.”

“Riot said he fell off a ladder.”

He watches me, his big, beautiful eyes laced with concern. “We’ll leave now, it won’t take long.”

“He…” I brace myself as I plant a hand on his chest. “Nothing can happen to him, Manny, not yet, it’s not his time.” Tears well in my eyes. He pulls me into a hug, one that I need desperately.

“It’s gonna be okay. I promise. He’s as strong as an ox.”

“What if he hit his head hard? Riot sounded like he knew more. What if he isn’t telling me the truth?” A new panic hits me.

Manny braces his hands on my shoulders. “Let’s not jump to any conclusions until we know more. Do you need anything except your phone?”

I shake my head.

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