Page 91 of Needing Your Love
She swallowed hard, glanced at me, and nodded. Pushing to her feet, she muttered an apology, but neither Jamie or I acknowledged her words.
“What. The. Fuck?” Jamie muttered the second she disappeared up the stairs, his hand finally dropping from my forearm to grip his hips.
“Jimmy was in our bedroom getting dressed—I-I didn’t check before opening the door.”
Jamie glared at me. “You’d have let her in even if you knew itwasher knocking.”
I rubbed a hand over my face, hating yet appreciating he called me out. “Yeah.”
“Fuck, Dad.” Jamie shook his head, lips pursed. “You didn’t fail her in any way. She needs to own her stupid choices—not you.” He poked my chest. “You can’t be responsible for every fucking person who enters this town!”
“I know?—”
“Youdon’t! Jesus.” Jamie stalked toward the door and spun again, clearly not having given me enough of his mind. He pointed at me again. “That boy is everything you told me you wanted. He all butdroppedinto your lap, needy as could be, put a smile on your face I don’t remembereverseeing, and now he’s gone.”
“I didn’t?—”
“You gotta to make this shit right before it’s too late, Dad. He was running like he didn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. You’ve got your work cut out for you, I can promise you that. He looked hell-bent on escaping this town without a backward glance. Better pack a bag and head to Boston because that’s the only other place he has to go.”
My mind grasped for ways to stop Jimmy from leaving town, but he was probably already long gone.
“As for that…woman,” Jamie nearly spat again, “she manipulates you so goddamned easily. It’s time for me to haveyourback—and I won’t bend for that bitch. Don’t give a flyingfuckwhat she’s going through or how she’s hurting. She gave up the rights to our empathy and love years ago when she walked away without an ounce of concern for the mess she’d made of our lives.”
I closed my eyes, head hanging. He was right and hadn’t pulled any punches. Running my hands through my hair, I muttered a few curses beneath my breath over my ability to be truthful with everyone but myself. “Who’s on patrol?”
“Davidson.”
I nodded and straightened, filling my lungs to help steady my nerves. “Call him—tell him to keep an eye out for Jimmy in case he hasn’t left town yet. I gotta go get my cell.”
Jamie’s phone rang before he pulled it from his back pocket. “Babs?” he answered, and I couldn’t make out her words even though her shrill tone reached my ears.
I paused from heading upstairs, body tensed as Jamie’s gaze slammed into mine. His face went pale, eyes widening.
“Shit,” he whispered and hung up. “Kurt is holding Stefen at gunpoint—and Sarah and Jimmy are in the shop with them.”
Time stilled. Everything went to fuzz in my ears like I’d dived underwater.
My heart thumped and went silent for what felt like an hour.
Lungs denied oxygen lay flat inside my chest.
I’d never seen a live crime scene that involved death, but my mind envisioned the shattering of my heart, the loss of someone I had loved for years and wanted more than anything.
“Dad!” Jamie’s holler merely buzzed between my ears as I held Jimmy’s limp body in my arms. Sobs tore from my mouth, agony ripping me from the inside out.
I wouldn’t survive?—
Jamie slapped me across the face, and a rush of air and sound slammed reality into my brain.
Couldn’t lose him.
Wouldn’t.
“Call Davidson,” I rasped, focusing on the sting in my cheek rather than the panicked ache in my chest. “Jones too. Hurry.” I sprinted up the stairs on shaking legs and threw open the bathroom door.
Darla stood in the shower, thinner than I’d thought and bruised from head to toes.
“Finish and get the fuck out,” I hissed, adrenaline crashing through my system, my voice unsteady. “If I find one thing missing from inside these walls you no longer belong in, I’ll hunt you down and make you pay for every goddamned cent you took from me a decade ago. We clear?”
