Page 70 of Sweet Oblivion

I clenched my fist. “Because of her mom.”

Cam nodded, eyes sad. “She told me her mother died.”

Mama Grace gasped. “That sweet girl lost her mother?”

I nodded. “Yeah. She’s got to be so broken up. They were close. Really close.” I clenched my fists, despising my inability to leave, to go to her. “I don’t know anything else. I can’t get a hold of her.”

“About that,” Chuck rumbled. “I took her home, and she got a text on the way. It said, ‘He’s mine now.’ And there were pictures of you with some tall blonde.”

“Nash!” Mama Grace’s hand fluttered to her mouth.

“Lindsay,” I croaked. “It had to be. She doesn’t like Aya.”

My head and muscles ached. All of them. I felt like I’d been beaten with a plumber’s wrench.

“She’s the one who drugged you,” Steve said, stepping out of the corner.

I glared at him, but he held my stare.

“Aya wasn’t in a good headspace when she got out of the car,” Chuck said.

“Nash doesn’t need this stress now,” Steve said. “He needs to rest. To heal.”

“I need to make sure Aya’s okay,” I said. “Give me my phone so I can call her.”

Steve handed it over, but only because the others watched. His tight expression proved he wanted to deny me.

“Can I get a minute?” I asked.

Mama Grace kissed my forehead. “See you soon, honey.”

Cam and Chuck eased Steve from the room.

I dialed Aya’s number.

I frowned as the phone rang and rang.

Finally, she answered. “Nash?”

“Ay. Yeah, it’s me. How are you?”

“Why are you calling?”

I frowned. Her tone was distant, unlike her normal warmth.

“I wanted to talk to you. To see how you’re doing—Ay, I’m so damn sorry about your mom.”

“Why?”

I shifted on the bed. “What do you mean why? And you don’t care that I almost died?”

“I did. I do.”

Her tone softened. That sounded like my girl. I leaned back, closed my eyes, and basked in her love.

She cleared her throat. “I saw the pictures and comments of you and Lindsay.”

My eyes flashed open. “You have to know that’s all bullshit.”

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