Page 104 of The Wounded Warrior

“I swear. He’s…he’s my lover, Momma. Mine. And he’s hurting and I need to be there to help.”

“Take my car, Luke. It’s a comfortable ride and Aislin can drive it home when she comes home in a few weeks for Thanksgiving.” Helen grabbed her keys and pulled off a set. “Surely you can find that damned Mustang in a fancy-assed hotel parking lot.”

“There’s only one little pod of hotels in Round Rock proper, all off at the Rudy’s exit. If he’s not there, we have a house on Lake Travis. I’ll give you the address.” Jim scribbled that down. “I guarantee you he’ll go there eventually. He loves it down there.”

“Okay. Do you have it with an agency or something?”

Jim nodded.

“Can you call in a few hours and see if he’s picked up the keys? That way I know where to get off 35.”

Helen handed him the keys to her car. “It’s got a full tank. Do you need to go back to your place to pack?”

“No. I put a go bag in Matt’s truck. It’s with my wheelchair by the door. Jim, can you help me get all that shit in the car?”

“Son…” Momma’s face was a thundercloud. “I worry about you driving so far on your own.”

“I’ll stop if I get too tired. I swear.” He couldn’t wait for anyone else, and Preacher didn’t need to be volunteering to drive either. “I can do this.”

“Stubborn boy. Promise me you’ll text. When the car is stopped.”

“I promise.” He would have to check in, anyway, see if there was any change in the news. “Love you, Momma. Call Matty for me?”

“Coward.” She shook her head, but smiled. “I’ll tell him, son, even though he’ll know somehow. I love you.”

He nodded, then clumped outside, Jim following him with the chair and bag. “It pulls a tiny bit to the right after sixty or so. If you need anything at all, you call us.”

“Yes, sir.” It meant a lot that Rory’s people trusted him.

“Tell him that we… Shit…” Jim’s face turned a deep, harsh red. “You tell him we have his back and we will fucking take that son of a bitch down. All of them. They’ll burn.”

“I’ll tell him.” He shook Jim’s hand. “I’ll also tell him to call his momma.”

Jim laughed roughly, then helped him get his crutches into the car. “Be safe, son.”

“I will. Thank you for this.” Okay, it was time to hit the road. Luke had Tylenol, and he would stop for a Sprite.

He could do this.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Rory had been at the lake house for fifteen minutes before the knock to the door came, the sound so loud that it liked to split his head wide. Goddamn it.

He stumbled to the front door and wrenched it open, intending to lay some hurt on whatever asshole had dared to bother him, when he found a perky little gal in a Sigma Chi T-shirt and Longhorn yoga pants.

“Aislin. What are you doing here?”

“Missed you too, Rory. You look like shit. Let me in before the neighbors call the cops.”

“Why would they do that? It’s our house.” He stepped back to let her in, though. Lord, she was getting so pretty.

She rolled her eyes. “There may have been a party a few months ago. Mom doesn’t know, okay?”

“I’m not telling. Not my problem.”

“Yeah, yeah. I guess you got enough of those, huh?” She rolled her eyes. “You’re such a drama llama, bro.”

“Fuck you, Lynn.” He didn’t need this shit.

---