Page 309 of Second Sets Omnibus
“I’m assuming everything he told you. From the admittance to what he did to you at that party and to stalking you since that moment ...” Olivia trails off, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Rad stiffens behind me. His breath picks up and heaves at the mention of the party so long ago. Rad, my hero. The man who scooped me up and took me to the hospital after Van and his little friends had their fun.
I squeeze my eyes shut, vomit rushing up my esophagus. Van fucking raped me. He took advantage of me by dumping drugs into my drink and luring me away from the mass of people and witnesses. Then, as a love-sick teenager, I fell under his spell and into his bed. Again. He took advantage of me more than once.
“We went through his house, Riv. It’s apparent he’s had a thing for you for a long time. Probably has been following you for longer than the three years he let on. We found the pictures, the videos, and everything in between to help him get to you. We also found his security companies shit all over the place, too. The same company in charge of your safety. Overall, it’s another dangerous criminal off the streets. He won’t see the light of day for the rest of his life.” As Jordy speaks, more anger seeps into his words. A red tint crosses his cheeks, and his muscles turn rigid.
“And Ly? Asher? Are they okay?” My heart pounds against my ribs at the last images I have of them running through a loop in my mind.
Her screams. His anguish. The gunshot. The threats. It’s all right there at the forefront of my mind, reminding me I couldn’t save anyone. Not even myself.
“Ly’s fine. She’s snuggled up with Asher right now, Pretty Girl,” Rad says reassuringly, running his hands up and down my arms again.
“He got out of surgery hours ago. He’s fine. She’s fine. Although Ly might be a little shaken up. She hasn’t reallymentioned it. But Kieran took her to that therapist you have for an emergency appointment to make sure she’s okay since you were out for twelve hours, and he said they had a good talk about everything. She wants to continue to see Lyric on a regular basis. Something you might want to keep in mind,” Liv says with gentleness as she eases forward. “Shoo,” she rasps, waving Rad and Callum off me.
“Only this one time,” Rad grumbles, kissing my cheek. “We’ll snuggle soon. I’ll go check on the asshole next door. He’s been worried sick about you but couldn’t get out of bed.”
“See ya soon, Little Star.” Callum brushes his lips against mine, finally breaking away and removing himself from my hospital bed.
“I’ll beat feet and check on our little captive. I wonder if he had anything else to say. My boys can be so creative with their torture,” Jordy says, grinning as he manically rubs his hands together as he, too, exits the room. Leaving me alone with one of my best friends, fighting back tears.
“Oh, girl,” Liv murmurs, wrapping her arms around me. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t get to you sooner. That asshole blew up my damn car!”
“Fuck, Liv. Your car?” I wheeze, strangled by her tightening hold. I don’t even remember hearing an explosion of any sort.
“We thought there was a security breach on the outside. Little did we know it was on the inside.” Pulling back, water pools in her dark eyes, slowly falling down her cheeks. “I almost lost you,” she hiccups.
“You didn’t, though. You got there in time. Right? Everything is so damn hazy. All I remember is him cornering me, and then he injected me…”
“Yeah, just in the nick of time. We found Ash and called an ambulance and reinforcements as your gun went off. We… God, I was so goddamn scared he had shot you. I raced in there withmy gun in the air with Jordy right behind me. He hadn’t moved you yet. But he was getting ready to take you away. I shot a round in his back, but it didn’t stop him. It only made him face us with a gun in his hand. So, Jordy shot him in the dick without hesitation…” She grimaces at the thought.
“He really shot him in the dick?” I ask, trying to hold back the laughter bubbling in my throat. It feels so damn inappropriate to want to laugh, but I can’t help it. It bubbles out of both of us as we sit embraced on my bed.
“Yeah. Give Jordy any opportunity to shoot someone where the sun don’t shine. He’ll do it. We wanted some real answers. The ones we thought died with Adrian… Who happens to be his cousin, somehow.” She shakes her head, disappointment pulling her expression down. “I’m so sorry, River. I don’t know how he eluded us for so long. All records showed Van Drake was in Europe on business… I’m so fucking sorry we brought you home without further investigation and thinking it was only Adrian. I should have smelled a setup a mile away.”
“Don’t be sorry. You didn’t know. But he was Trevor here, right? He said he was Kat’s boyfriend. Jesus, how is Kat?” I swallow the razorblades in my throat, burning with every fucking swallow. This whole situation keeps getting worse and worse by the second.
“Well, she’s staying with Rocco right now. Much to his delight. He and Christian are supporting her in any way they know how. She’s shaken up. I’d be, too. The man she thought she loved was only using her for you.”
I rub my hand along my chest when she pulls away, staring me up and down.
“Well, good. I’m glad she has them. I’ll have to check in with her soon and make sure she’s okay to come back to work or take some time away from me. God, I’ll even give her a raise.”
“Well, the good news is the doc should release you soon. You’re awake and looking good.”
“Is it possible to go see, Asher? Was there much damage to him? I just can’t get the image of him lying on the ground with blood pouring out of him out of my fucking mind,” I rasp as tears burn the back of my eyes.
“He’s fine. They cleaned up the damage from the bullets to his calf and upper thigh and put him in a cast. Thankfully, it didn’t do much damage, besides the blood loss, which he’s being treated for right now. But other than that, Asher is fine. He’s been so worried about you. So, I think a reunion would do him some good. You should see Ly. She hasn’t left his side since. She really loves them… I’m so happy you gave them another chance.”
“Me too,” I murmur.
I sigh,sitting at the edge of my bed in the band house, running a hand through my unruly hair. I need a hot shower, food, and this stupid cast off my leg.
Two days. That’s how long it’s been since I left the hospital in a thick cast and instructions on how to care for my wounds.
For the same amount of time, River has been by my side with concern in her eyes, following me around. Every step of the way, she’s helped me cope with this new reality I’ve found myself in. Sometimes, a little too much.
No one tells you how painful bullet wounds are when they pierce through your skin. They fail to mention the mental decline after someone points a gun in your face and pulls the trigger. Or how vivid the recurring nightmares become. Night after night his evil face flashes through my dreams, jolting me awake. Sweat cakes my skin every time I wake up with wide eyes, frantically searching the room for the cause of it all. It’s only then do I have to remind myself that he’s in prison and far away from us.
