Page 29 of Rocked: The Price of Dreams

Wait. What? Was that Kyle’s plan? My head rattled. Where would he go? I hated the thought of him leaving, but I could understand him wanting out. He’d found the strength to take a stand. For that, I was proud of him. If he left, maybe I could go with him. My mom would be happy to be rid of me.

“Don’t be stupid.” Irritation shot through William’s voice. “Of course you will.”

“That’s not a threat.” Grit set in Kyle’s icy tone. “It’s a promise. You leave here now. Go home, pack a bag, and check into rehab.”

“I don’t need help.” William closed his eyes. Deep grooves etched his forehead. “I’ll stop. I promise.”

“Bullshit. Look at us, Dad.” Kyle yelled. With a tear trickling down his cheek, he pointed to me. “You hit Gem so hard she slammed into the shelf and cut her head.” He clutched Hunter’s arm and raised his wrist, showing William Hunter’s cut knuckles. “Hunt did this trying to get you off me.” Then Kyle took off his cap and swept his bangs aside, revealing his shiny black eyes and cheeks. “You fucking did this to me.”

My heart cinched. I hated seeing Kyle at his wit’s end. I wrapped my arm around his waist and hugged him, resting my head against his shoulder. I would never let him fall. No matter how broken he was, I’d always be there for him. No matter what.

“Kyle. Please?” his father pleaded. “You have to understand—”

“You weren’t the only fucking one who lost Emily.” Anguish ripped through Kyle’s voice. “You started drinking when she got sick, but it’s gotten out of control. Mom and I can’t do this anymore. If you don’t get help now, and I mean right now, I will bypass your buddies at the station and go to the cops here in Princeton. I will report you. I will press charges. I won’t stop until you are locked away behind bars. Do you understand?”

“Kyle?” William held up his palm, but Kyle ignored it.

“Do. You. Fucking. Understand?” Kyle yelled. “This is over. You have two choices. Rehab or prison.”

My ears rang as an ambulance raced along the street and pulled up outside the emergency department. A flock of pigeons took to the air as the paramedics rushed to the back of the vehicle. The entrance doors flung open, and two nurses rushed out to aid them. That could have been Claire. Or us. What if next time, we didn’t escape? I didn’t want to go there.

“Mr. Mac?” Hunter’s husky voice came out as timid as a lamb as he rubbed his chest. “I’ve known you for a long time. You’re getting worse. This can’t go on.”

“We were so scared.” My heart thudded so loud in my chest I was sure the guys could hear it. “Please get help.”

William’s eyes clouded over as he stared past Kyle toward the hospital entrance. As he took a deep breath, tears welled in his bloodshot eyes. “I always tell myself just one drink or two, but then I can’t stop. I don’t have an off switch. Beer used to be enough, until it wasn’t. So I’d have a couple of whiskeys, then a couple more. Then a couple more.”

“I know,” Kyle hissed. “I’ve lived with this shit for years. But I can’t anymore. This is the final call. Get help or Mom and I are gone.”

My heart broke. I didn’t want Kyle to leave. But we’d find our way back to each other. The three of us would never be apart for long.

William bowed his head, nodded and sniffled. “You’re right. Last night was my rock bottom. I’m there. I love you. It may not seem like it, but I promise, from the bottom of my heart, I do. I don’t want to be like this. I want to get better. So, I’ll go. I’ll call Marsha at work. She’ll help me make some calls and find out which center can take me. I’ll see Claire first, then go.”

“No.” Kyle blocked his path. “She’ll talk you out of it and say everything is fine. Like always.”

“Not this time.” William shook his head. “If she’s hurt like you, nothing will stop me from going.”

For the first time, I believed William would follow through on his words.

Kyle hesitated, then nodded. “Fine. Five minutes.” Kyle held up his hand. “But I’ll come with you because I’m going to make fucking sure you are in rehab by tonight or I’ll put you into one of these hospital beds myself. Got it?”

William dipped his head. “Got it.”

Kyle hooked his arms around Hunter and me, then jutted his chin at his father. “And whether you like it or not, Hunt and Gem are coming come with us. I need them for support. They’re all I’ve got.” He threw us quick glances.

The I-need-you-more-than-life-to-get-through-this plea swirling in his dark eyes made my anxiety about the idea of taking a grown man to rehab insignificant. If Kyle needed me, I’d be there. No questions asked.

“You have good friends. I admire that.” William smiled, but it didn’t touch his eyes. Deep down, he must have regretted hurting us.

“Let’s go.” Kyle jerked his head toward the entrance. “Time’s ticking.”

Arm in arm, we followed William into the hospital. As he visited Claire, we made our heartbreaking call to the festival. They weren’t happy but were empathetic when we told them we’d been in an accident. With our biggest chance for our music to be seen destroyed, how long would it take for a new opportunity to arise? Every avenue seemed to lead to a dead end. I wouldn’t give up. I couldn’t.

I prayed William would go to rehab without any more incidents.

What was the likelihood of that?

Chapter 11

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