Page 73 of Through The Woods

Doc saw my face. “Hey, you’re nothing like Rae. Don’t try to compare the two. You worked your ass off to sober up and you’ve remained clean. I don’t know that she ever made it past a week.”

I shook my head. “But, Charm…he can’t have feelings for someone like me. I’m what he despises most—an addict.”

What had happened between us was nothing more than lust. I was a female in close proximity; it was bound to happen. Nothing about it was a good foundation on which to build a relationship though.

“Neve, how many times have you driven into town on your own?”

I thought back over all my visits into town. “I don’t know—I’ve gone at least once a week though.”

“Eight. You’ve been into town eight times. Wanna know how I know? Because one of us has followed you every single time to make sure you stay safe. Hell, I think most of us would’ve done it even if he hadn’t asked us.”

I pushed myself up, my legs shaking. “I have to go. Doc, can I leave you alone?”

I had to know if it was true and I had a crazy hunch that I knew where to find my answers before confronting Charm.

He nodded. “Probably just gonna upchuck and get it over with the minute you leave.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Okay, glad I’m leaving then. I just need to sort this out. I’ll come back by later and check on you.”

He nodded and stared down into the toilet bowl. “He’s gonna claim you as his ol’ lady, Neve. If he doesn’t, then he’s a fucking moron and one of us’ll do it.”

I could hear him retching as I shut the door behind me and raced down the hall toward Charm’s bedroom. I tore open the nightstand and flipped through the journal, but everything in it was about Rae, ending with her death.

I returned it to the drawer with a sinking feeling. What had I expected—that he’d written about me?

Wait a minute.

I slipped out of his room and down the stairs, dodging bikers in various states of drunkenness before letting myself into his study. In the center drawer, buried underneath ledgers, was a shiny red notebook.

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