Page 164 of Tied to You
His head drops. “Because she asked for you.”
I stand in a rush, waiting for him to turn around. He doesn’t. I look at the phone in his hand. “What’s going on?”
Pain drips from his voice. “There was a fire.”
Fire? “What do you mean a fire?”
He turns then, his face panicked for a man so rough around the edges.
I step closer, reaching and failing to snatch his phone to see who the fuck has been trying to get hold of him.
Pushing me back, I stagger, the banging in my chest fuelling the fear within. “Dean’s with her. She’s fine, but you need to get to the hospital. Fast. Can you ride?”
Hospital?“You think I give a fuck about that?” I’m on my bike, turning on the engine and ramming my helmet on my head. I’ll have to ride fast. “Which hospital?”
“St. Andrew’s. Look, Travis, her dad’s just arrived.”
I pause, the engine the only noise between us. “Her dad?” The man she’s scared to disappoint.
Rocco looks down quickly. “He’s not making things easy. Dean needs one of us there.”
No. I bet he’s not. I give the throttle a tug. “Where are you going?”
“Clean up,” he says, giving me knowing, fierce eyes. Something went wrong. The drop didn’t run as they usually do. That’s on me. “I need to trust you won’t do anything stupid? Seriously, we can’t have any more fuck ups tonight.”
I can’t promise that and he knows it.
I don’t even give him a nod as I ride off. I need to get to Mollie.
When I arrive at the hospital forty-five minutes later, I ditch my bike and sprint to the Accident and Emergency. Dean meets me by the door since I called him, but I can immediately tell by his face something’s wrong. I go to move past him, needing to get to Mollie, but he stops me.
I collide with his outstretched arm. “The fuck?”
I see him recoil a little. “You can’t go in there.”
I’d smile if I wasn’t so sure he was being serious. “What do you mean I can’t go in there? Get the fuck out of my way!”
He pushes me back when I step forward again, surprising me. “Her dad’s in there. Guy’s a mean motherfucker.” His temples twitch, his fists are balled on my cut.
I look down at his hands. “I’m meaner,” I grunt, trying to get past him again. “Dean what the fuck are you playing at?”
“Looking out for you, brother.”
Checking his expression, he’s been put through it tonight. I see the creases on his face. The thick, heavy lines showing his exhaustion. Everything inside me wants to physically manhandle him out of my way, but I take a second, realising whatever’s happened tonight is on me. I need to know what went down. “Rocco said there was a fire.”
Dean stares through me. “I found her at Matthew’s, Travis.”
Wait, what? “Mollie was there?” Worry branches across my back like lightning. Why the fuck was Mollie at the drop? My need to see her intensifies.
“She went when she knew you wouldn’t. I only found out when I went by your place.”
My eyes search his, pain exploding behind them. “Fuck!” I swing my arms, batting his away. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”
“Calm down,” Dean warns, stepping closer. I can’t tell him to back off. I can’t yell or throw my hands, demanding why I wasn’t made aware. They tried to get hold of me. They fucking tried to warn me. And where was I? Drowning in the drink because of something I fucking decided. I hate myself. Loathe the fact I’m breathing.
I run a tetchy hand, roughly through my beard. “Is she hurt?” Stupid fucking question. They brought her to a hospital. My heart stops. The cold wave of misery I used to feel every day, hits me hard. Is she alive? Please,God, don’t tell me—
“She’s alive,” Dean says, reading my mind, filling in the blanks.
