Page 26 of Buried

After changing Axel and trying my damnest to ignore Gregory’s blood-curdling screams of pain, I walked back out of our room to go check on Reina. She was passed out on her bed, thankfully not suffering any nightmares. I only hoped that this shit didn’t fuck her up inside as it had done me. I didn’t wish my shit on anyone.

I quietly stepped back out of her room, jumping a bit in shock when I felt the fluttering in my belly again. I smiled softly to myself and looked down at Axel. His bright blue eyes were open wide, taking in everything around him.

I looked up as the clubhouse doors opened, revealing River and Sam. River strode over to me instantly, his expression softening the slightest as he did so. “Has he been giving you any problems?”

I shook my head. “He’s just being curious.” I shifted Axel to one arm and reached up to rub his stubble-covered jaw. “Everything was taken care of?” I asked him, feeling calmer now that he was standing there in front of me, soothing me.

He nodded. “Kale is taking care of the clean-up.” He glanced down the hall, where Reina’s room was. “How’s Reina holding up?” he asked.

I shrugged. “She’s sleeping right now, so it’s hard to tell.” I yawned softly, shocking myself at how tired I was. I had beenup way earlier than I usually was, which probably explained it. It also probably didn’t help that I had spent part of the night awake with River. And holding Reina as she recounted what’d happened to her… it’d taken a lot out of me.

“I think it’s time for you to get a nap, don’t you think?” River softly asked as he reached up to cup the side of my neck, brushing his thumb over my jawline. I nodded, yawning again.

Without another word, he placed his hand on the small of my back and led me down the hall to our room. He took Axel from me, and I crawled onto the bed, snuggling into the pillows, almost immediately falling asleep as the scent of his cologne and body wash surrounded me.

Chapter Eighteen

River

Igroaned tiredly as I looked at the screen of my phone, swiping across the screen to answer the call. “Yeah?” I gruffly asked when I answered.

“River, I know you probably don’t give two shits,” Jesup started, “but Tristan was just shot, and he’s in a fucking coma.” He sounded on the verge of fucking losing his mind. I bit back a curse. “I thought you might want the chance to break the news to Adelaide before she gets wind of it through the grapevine.”

“Fuck,” I grumbled, looking over at Adelaide who was still sleeping peacefully on the bed. “What’s the doctor saying?” I quietly asked him.

Jesup drew in a shaky breath, and I instantly knew he was beginning to lose his composure. “I may be burying my best friend, River. It’s fucking bad.”

Fuck, this was about to hit Adelaide hard.

“We’ll be there within a day,” I informed him. I knew that Adelaide would want to go see him, and I wouldn’t keep her fromdoing that. I knew Adelaide well enough to know that she would pack a bag for her and Axel and hit the road to go see him herself if I even tried denying her.

I hung up the phone and set it on the nightstand, pushing my hands through my hair. I didn’t want to tell her this. I really fucking didn’t. I knew that even though she was here with me, she still harbored some feelings for Tristan, and I couldn’t fault her for that. They had a history that happened long before I ever came into the picture.

But this shit was about to rip her the fuck apart, and I was so goddamn tired of her hurting all of the time. I just wanted her to finally be happy for once.

I stood up and quietly slipped out of the room, going down the hall to knock on the door of the room that Joey was occupying. I hated to cut his time with her short, but I needed to take her to see Tristan. But first, I needed Joey’s help breaking this news to her. She would need both of us when she found out. This shit was about to break her.

“What?” Joey grunted as he opened the door, pulling a shirt over his head. He scrubbed his hands down his face, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

“Tristan’s been shot,” I told him. Joey dropped his hands from his face, looking much more awake now. “Jesup just called me. Told me he may be burying Tristan. Doctor says it isn’t looking good for him.”

“Fuck—Adelaide,” Joey whispered, his mind instantly going in the same direction mine had gone.

I clenched my jaw, nodding. “This shit’s going to hurt her, Joey, but she’s going to hate me if I don’t tell her. I thought you could help me keep her calm as I break the news to her.”

He nodded. “Let me get my boots on and grab my cut,” he told me as he opened the door wider, moving toward the bed in the center of the room. He shoved his feet into his boots and snatched up his cut, shrugging it onto his shoulders. Sighing, he took a moment to stare up at the ceiling. “Not going to be sad to see Tristan go, if I’m honest,” Joey told me bluntly. I grunted in agreement, but I knew losing Tristan would make Adelaide lose a piece of herself. Neither of us wanted that for her.

“He keeps hurting her, River. Every time I fucking see him, I want to break his neck. He refuses to change for her.” He rolled his shoulders, almost as if he were trying to roll his feelings about Tristan off of him. Then, he turned toward me. “Let’s go.”

Time to go rip my woman the fuck apart.

Joey eased onto the bed beside Adelaide, pain flashing through his eyes for a moment before he smothered it, only showing her the love and happiness that he held for her.

I gently shook Adelaide awake as I sat on the other side of her, and she blinked up at me slowly, a slow smile curving her luscious lips. “Hi,” she breathed.

I gently ran my fingertips over her cheek, and her expression instantly fell as she sat up, immediately picking up on my mood. She looked at Joey, who was sitting on her other side, and her breathing quickened, panic flashing in her eyes. Joey cupped theside of her neck, locking her eyes on his. “Easy, pretty girl,” he soothed. “Breathe.”

She looked over at me, swallowing thickly. “River, what’s going on?” she asked me, her voice trembling.

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