Page 109 of The Hate We Breathe
The memory of her disappearing over the edge and out of sight is carved into my mind. Worse even than the day I was told my parents were gone. No one else could break me the way she can.
I might have stayed like that, with my eyes shut and my head bent, making the effort to force back the tears and failing, if it weren’t for the deep male voice that intrudes on the moment.
“A man who doesn’t love isn’t a man at all.” Those words have my eyes slamming open and turning to look at the figure blocking the doorway. His massive shoulders brush the sides of the frame and the top of his skull is mere inches from the top.
Viks steps into the room without an invitation and slowly moves to the side that Juliet isn’t on. “I felt the same way when my Haley was in danger,” he says.
“How would you know how I feel?” I grit out. Of course he comes when I’m not able to escape the bastard. This whole time he’s been trying to get me alone, to get me to talk to him. I don’t want to. The only family I need are the people sleeping in this room with me.
There’s no irritation or offense in Viks’ face as he looks down at me. He doesn’t even respond to my question as he flicks his gaze to Juliet and then to the men across from me.
“It’s good to have people in your corner,” he tells me. “It gives you a reason to live…” His eyes move back to my face and he arches a brow. “And a reason to not be so damn reckless in the future.”
“I wasn’t reckless,” I snap.
“You were.” His response doesn’t even sound like an argument, just a simple statement of fact. It only serves to irritate me further. “I saw the video,” he continues. “If you hadn’t kept trying to take her down, you might not have gotten shot—at least not that second time. That was the one that almost killed you.”
Killed me? I look down and then pluck at the hospital gown’s collar to see the wrap of gauze and white that covers one side of my chest and over my shoulder. Had it been that close? I feel like… there was something I should remember. A dream, maybe?
Viks sighs, capturing my attention once more. “It’s a good thing you don’t need that football scholarship,” he says. “’Cause I doubt you’ll be playing for a while, kid, if at all.”
My brow furrows. Not because I’m offended by the idea of losing a scholarship or not playing football. I only ever did it because Nolan and Gio liked it.
“Why are you here?” I ask after a beat, wanting to get to the heart of his visit before Juliet or the others wake.
Eyes that are shadows in the dim lighting of the room bore into me. I wait, silent, and stare back at them the same way that used to send my father into a rage when I was a child. Viks doesn’t fly into a fit of anger and start swinging his fists. He’s not like my father. Instead his lips spread into a small smile and it reminds me of someone else—my mom.
His half-sister, or so he claims.
“Just checking on my nephew,” he tells me. “Making sure you made it out of surgery, though I had no doubt you would. You’re too much like me.”
“How’s that?” I shoot back. “Stubborn and dumb as fuck?”
He snorts and shakes his head. “Something like that,” he replies. “Take care of your people, Lex.” Viks moves back towards the open door and lifts a hand over his shoulder ina gesture of goodbye. “See you when you get to Eastpoint. Whatever happens, know that I’ll be looking out for you. You’re mine now, kid, and there’s no getting rid of me.”
Viks disappears before I can form a response. A pit of emptiness opens up in my stomach as I stare at the empty doorway for so long that my vision blurs.
I must fall back asleep at some point because the next time I blink open my eyes, it’s to a brighter room and the sound of soft conversation. A groan rumbles up my chest and the speakers go silent, then…
“Lex?” Opening my eyes at that feminine voice, I turn my head to a somewhat bruised Juliet sitting up on the cot shoved beneath the window with Gio standing next to her and fuck… she’s gorgeous.
“Hey, baby…”
She tries to leap up only for Gio to catch her and force her to slow down. “Hold on there, Prep Girl,” he gripes. “You’re not healed yet either. Be easy.”
Juliet ignores him in favor of cursing me. “You fucking asshole!”
“Or… do whatever you want, I suppose,” Gio huffs, rolling his eyes. “What do I know?”
“Baby? You’re hurt?”
“Not as bad as you!” Juliet yells, her brow creasing as she glares at me. “You almost fucking died!”
“I mean… he did say he would die for you,” Gio comments drily.
Juliet whips her attention to him and narrows her pretty blue eyes. “He was drugged,” she snaps. “Morphine does weird shit to everyone.”
“Baby,” I say, calling for her as I struggle to sit up. “Just tell me you’re okay. What’s wrong with your arm?” I nod to thewhite-and-blue cast sticking out of a black sleeve that keeps one of her arms strapped to her chest.
