Page 53 of Truck Stop Titan

I rolled to my knees and then pushed to stand. “Wanna know a secret?”

He didn’t answer, but stumbled to his feet as well, leaning against the truck bed with one arm. “Everything that happened with Rocky? Yeah. That was me. The night Tango fucked my cousin and made that perfect little boy? That was my doing. I hated that fucking, pretty boy, entitled asshole and I wanted your daughter. So, I gave Addy the drugs she slipped into Tango’s drinks that night. He never would’ve cheated on Slade without them. I encouraged Addy to do what she did. I made sure Slade found them fucking in his daddy’s Mercedes.”

Fucking hell, I’d never said those words out loud.

The purge continued. “I watched Slade run away. I followed, watched her crumple in the street—crying, broken, bleeding. And I waited. I waited until she was hollow, and wouldn’t turn me away, and then I picked her up and made her all better. Pretty fucking heroic, yeah?”

“Dane,” James grunted, slapping a hand to his chest.

“What, James? What? You gonna tell me everything is okay? Because it’s not. I set the wheels in motion. Addison is dead because of me. Rocky almost died, because of me. Tango’s mother is dead because of me. If my father had succeeded in killing Slade? Yeah, that would be on me, too.”

“I’ll fucking destroy you,” Tango’s angry voice boomed.

Jesus H. Christ. Shittiest day ever. Tango had heard everything. I didn’t turn to look. I knew what was about to go down—well-deserved retribution. I steeled my spine, waiting for the first strike.

James fell against the truck, struck hard by my admission. Good. He needed to know the kind of scum he was dealing with.

I turned to face Tango’s wrath, but a heavy hand clamped my shoulder.

“Dane.” James’s voice hovered, weak and strained.

His hand slipped from my shoulder, and his body fell against mine before slamming to the ground.

# # #

“Dane.” Moriah sighed. “I’m so glad you called. I hated driving away without saying goodbye.”

“Where are you right now?”

“We’re on the freeway. Almost to the airport exit.”

“Tell Lettie to pull over. Right now.”

“What’s going on?”

“It’s James. Gonna need you to take over driving. Turn around and head back to town.”

“I don’t under—”

“No time to explain,” I interrupted. “When Lettie’s in the passenger seat, give her the phone.”

I waited, listening while Moriah gave Lettie instructions. I heard the car doors slam, heavy breathing, worried questions.

“Okay. I’m behind the wheel. What’s going on?”

“Give Lettie the phone.”

“Dane?”

“Do it!” I snapped, nerves stretched to the breaking point.

Lettie’s voice came through, shaky and high-pitched. “What’s happening?”

Heart in my fucking throat, I gave Lettie the lowdown, explained that James was on his way to Whisper Springs Medical Center, that Tucker was in the ambulance with him, and everyone else had followed behind.

“We’re on our way,” Lettie cried before the phone went dead, leaving me alone with the truck, and the silence, and the God damn crushing weight on my chest.

Suppose that would’ve been a good time for me to make my exit. Give the man a heart attack, then disappear.

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