Page 172 of Crew
A lump was in the back of my throat. "Why's Zellman at the hospital?" He wouldn't go to be there with Race. "Race would've been released last night. His injuries weren't that bad."
Jordan kept on as if I hadn't said a word. He was no longer looking at either of us. He stared at a spot on the wall. "Alex was at Manny's. At first."
"At first?" I prompted.
"He was drinking. Brandon wouldn't serve him, but he got a bottle of whiskey. He was drinking in the back. Heather looked for him a few times, but he hid from her. Brandon finally found him and kicked him out."
He looked at Cross then. His eyes were so strange, I almost gasped. They were bleak and stricken.
Hurting. They were hurting.
I felt a whisper inside me, a beckoning. He had the same darkness in him that I had felt, and as if on cue, I felt her wanting to come out. She wanted to rise and protect me.
I pushed her down.
Jordan took a breath, then spoke in a voice that was unnaturally soft. "I was making out with Sweets last night. Zellman was shooting pool. We were having fun, and we weren't watching. Everyone thought Alex would walk home, sleep it off."
But he didn't.
I could tell how this was going to play out.
I touched my forehead, feeling a headache forming. "Who did he hurt?"
"The hospital released Race last night, so Taz took him to the hotel in town. That one he's been staying at with his mom."
If Alex had been walking home, the hotel was right in the middle of his route.
"Oh no."
No, no, no.
I knew what he was going to say.
Race helped us, so many times.
We pushed him, not trusting. But he kept helping.
Now this...
I sank down on the bed. Alex had already hurt his cousin. Race would've been weak, or even drugged. The hospital would've given him painkillers. They would've made him fall asleep.
He was helpless.
I began to fear the worst.
Then Jordan looked at Cross. "He hurt Taz."
I looked up.
Taz.
He said Taz.
Not Race.
Taz.
I surged back to my feet. "Cross."
