His Adam's apple bobs. “It’s about your mom.”
A strangled laugh escapes me and I swing my arms wide. “What? What about her is so important that you had to come fuck up my night after already screwing my day?”
He doesn't say anything, just looks at me like I’m a little crazy and so what, maybe I am, but he made me this way. He’s the one butting into my life. Interjecting himself where he doesn’t belong, and now this.
“Well? What was so damn important that you couldn’t just leave me the fuck alone?” He’s not leaving. Fine. I’ll leave instead. I grab a pair of leggings—I’ll throw them on in the car—slip on some sandals, and grab my phone and keys. Jerking my bedroom door open, I head for the side door.
“Kasey!” He calls my name, but I don’t stop.
“Go home, Dom,” I call over my shoulder as I make it outside.
A few of the girls are outside hanging out on the picnic table. All of them looking my way as I exit the house, Dominique right behind me.
“Kasey, stop.”
I flip him off over my shoulder and he growls. Actually growls. I’m almost to my car when he grabs me by the elbow, and I’m about to tear away from him when he bites out,“Your mom was in an accident.”
“What?” I shake my head and pull away. “She literally called today while you were in my room earlier.”
“Kasey,” his voice is soft, eyes somber. A stab of pain hits me in the chest. No. He’s wrong. I just talked to her a few days ago and she was fine. And she called earlier today. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I pull out my phone and punch in her number.
“Kasey—”
I hold my finger up, silently telling him to wait.
The call goes straight to voicemail. My stomach sinks, but no, that doesn’t mean anything. Mom is forgetful. Her phone is probably dead. Once she charges it, she’ll see the missed call and call me right back. It’s fine. Everything is fine.
A notification flashes across the screen. I have a voicemail. I smack my forehead. Of course I do. She called earlier and left me a message. I enter my pin and wait for the message to start.
“Hey, sweetheart. I just wanted to check in on my girl. Hope you’re having fun. I’ll call yo—” her voice cuts off. There’s the sound of tires squealing in the background. A shrill scream. The crunch of metal.
Oh my God! “Mom!” No. No. No. She has to be okay. She— Dominique reaches out, but I slap his hand away. I need to find my brother. I need… I drop my phone and shove past him. “Kasey, stop.”
I don’t. I move for my car, but strong arms band around me, turning me until we’re face to face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know how else to tell you.”
I shove against his chest, but he doesn’t budge. Instead, he holds me tighter against his chest, one hand cupping the back of my head. “I’m sorry, baby girl. I’m so fucking sorry.”
I shake my head. “No!” My vision blurs, but I blink back the tears. “Never let them see you cry, sweetheart.” Mom’s words echo in my head.
I sniff and pull away. This time, he lets me go. “She’s fine though, right? She’s at a hospital or whatever? She’s getting treatment?” I rub my eyes with the backs of my hands.
He doesn’t say anything. He just stands there looking at me with eyes full of what ...regret?
“Well?” I shout. “You can talk now. That’s why you’re here, right? Is she going to be okay?” I need to talk to my teachers. If Mom is hurt she’ll need someone to look after her. At least until she’s back on her feet. I don’t know how much time I can miss from school, but I’ll figure that out later. Aaron will—shit. I need to talk to my brother. Does he know Mom was in an accident?
“Where’s Aaron?”
“He’s at home.”
I frown. “Does he know Mom was hurt? I have to call him.”
“He knows,” Dominique says. “The hospital called him.”
Okay. Good. She’s at a hospital. That’s good. But, “Why isn’t he here? Why are you here telling me about my mom instead of him?” Anger floods my system and I latch onto it.
A tormented look flashes across his face. “He’s having a hard time with the news. I don’t...” he takes a deep breath, “He didn’t know how to tell you.”
“Is he packing at least?” I run through my mental to-do list. Pack some clothes. Notify my teachers that I have a family emergency. Book a flight to Florida. Shit. I don’t even have the new address.
I’ll figure that out once I talk to Aaron. I whirl around to go back inside. “Where are you going?”
“I need to pack.”
“Kasey!”
“Dominique. I don’t have time. If Mom is hurt, I need—”
“She didn’t make it.”
Something squeezes my chest and all the air whooshes out of my lungs. “W…what?”
My knees shake and everything suddenly sounds far away.
Dominique steps toward me, but it’s almost like he’s out of focus. My vision is dark along the edges.
“What do you mean, she didn’t make it?” My voice is quiet, almost like if I say the words too loud it will make them real. But they can’t be real. Mom is fine. She has to be fine.
“I’m so sorry,” he tells me. This time, I believe him.
“No.” I press the palm of my hand to my chest. “She can’t … no. She has to be okay. My mom,” I choke back a sob. “No. She has to be okay!”
Dominique steps closer, his hands reaching out almost like I’m a wild animal he’s afraid to spook.
“It’s going to be okay.”
“No, it’s not. It is not going to be okay. This is not okay!”
“Fuck. I know. I’m sorry. That was the wrong thing to say.”
I can’t breathe. I’m opening and closing my mouth, trying to suck in air, but it’s like my lungs have stopped working. I’m like a fish stuck on shore and I can’t fucking breath.
“Kasey? Fuck. Kasey!”
A large hand forces my head between my knees. I didn’t realize I’d fallen to the ground. “Breath, baby girl. In and out. That's good. Take another breath.”
I try to focus on his words, but my chest hurts. It really really hurts.
He rubs circles across my back as I fight to get my emotions under control, but as soon as I manage to suck in a full breath, the tears come pouring out. A distant part of me is screaming to get it together. To push him away and find somewhere private to cry, but I can’t move. I want to get up, but it’s like the part of my brain that controls my limbs isn’t working.
Strong arms scoop me up and the next thing I know I’m nestled in Dominique’s arms as he walks me to his Escalade. My entire body shakes like a leaf. She’s gone. She’s really gone. The realization slams into me like a freight train and a new wave of tears falls down my cheeks.
Dominique sets me down on the passenger seat. How he opened the door while holding me, I don’t know. He reaches over me and secures my seat belt before cupping my cheeks, his thumbs wiping the tears on my face. “You’re going to get through this,” he says, his voice somehow both soft and firm.
I hear the words, but I don’t believe them. How does anyone get through something like this? How does anyone recover after losing their mom?
The rest of the night is a blur. Dominique takes me to his place, but I don’t remember the drive there or even getting out of his Escalade and walking inside.
Aaron is there. Allie too. She hugs me, I think. I’m not really sure.
And then, nothing.
Chapter Seventeen
“Kasey?”
I blink sleep from my eyes. Sunlight filters in through the window and it takes me a minute before I’m able to turn my head and find the person who said my name.
“Dom?”
He steps further into the room and I push up on my hands. I’m in bed. But, it’s not mine. This bed is a queen but I know mine in my room at the Kappa Mu house is a full. “Whose bed is this?” I ask. My throat is dry and
my words come out raspy.
Dominique sits down beside me, placing a hand on my leg. “You’re in our guest room. You fell asleep, so I brought you here.” He shrugs. “Figured this would be more comfortable than the couch.”
That makes sense. “Thanks.”
He stares at me intently before asking, “Are you feeling okay? Did you … did you want to talk?”
I scowl. “Why would I want to—” Last night comes rushing back to me and I suck in a shuddering breath.
“Kasey?”
Oh God.
“Hey. Hey!” He cups both sides of my face and my vision swims. I’m crumbling, and he gets a front row seat to the show. “It’s okay.”
I shake my head. No. It’s not okay. My mom is dead. I’m seventeen and she’s fucking dead.
I pull away from his touch and turn to my side, resting my head on the pillow as silent sobs wrack my body. Don’t let him see you cry. I tell myself. You fucked that up yesterday. Don’t make it worse. Hold it together.
A rough hand rubs my back, but I pull away from the touch.
“Leave me alone,” I whisper.
“Kasey.” He sighs, and there’s pity in his voice. It makes my tears fall faster. I don’t want his pity. I just … I want my mom.
Dominique leaves and I lose track of time after that. Day turns to night only to become day. It happens again and again, day after day. But, I barely move from the bed. I get up to use the bathroom. Sometimes I get up and sit by the window and look outside. The last time I did that I fell asleep, only to wake as Dominique laid me back in bed.
He brings me water. A few times he’s tried to get me to eat but I’m never hungry. He’s being nice to me and I hate it. This isn’t how our relationship works. It’s not helping me. It just makes it all worse.
The door to my room opens and I know without rolling over to look that it’s Dominique who's come inside. I haven’t seen Aaron since I got here. He’s dealing with his own grief. Neither one of us is really equipped to help the other right now. I feel like a shitty sister about that, but I’m pretty sure he feels like a shitty brother too, so I figure we’re square.
“How are you feeling?” He always asks the same question as if he doesn’t already know the answer, so like all the other times, I don’t bother to respond.
Dominique sighs and moves around the bed. He crouches down in front of me but I keep my eyes closed, hoping he’ll take the hint and go away.
“You’re not really asleep.”
So? I want to tell him, but I stay quiet.
Another sigh. “The girls are here.”
That catches my attention and I snap my eyes open. Dominique is eye level with me, his penetrating stare burning into me.
“They’re worried about you. You’re not responding to any of their texts.”
“I don’t want to talk to anyone,” I whisper, my mouth so dry the words come out scratchy and raw.
He hands me an uncapped bottle of water. “Drink.”
I shake my head. I don’t want it.
“Kasey, drink the damn water or I’ll hold you down and force it down your throat myself.”
I glare at him, feeling mutinous. He waves the bottle in my face, his eyes daring me to push him.
“Fine.” I pull myself up into a sitting position and take the bottle. Glaring at him, I swallow a few sips before giving it back. “Happy?” I ask and lay back down.
He grunts out a, “Yes,” and places the water on the bedside table. “I told Allie and Bibi you were dealing, but you know how they can be. They want to see for themselves that you’re okay. I think they mostly want to make sure I haven’t buried you somewhere.”
I suck in a breath.
“Fuck. Bad joke. Ignore that.” He shakes his head. “I just thought you’d want a heads-up before they came in.”
He moves to stand, but I latch onto his wrist, stopping him.
I swallow hard. “Don’t let them in.”
His eyes soften. “They’re worried about you. We all are. It’s been four days Kasey—”
I shake my head. “Please. I… I can’t.”
He looks away, a tic jumping along his jaw. “Allie lost her mom, too. She can help. Aaron’s been spending a lot of time with her. Maybe—”
“No!”
He reaches down and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my cheek. “Okay. I’ll tell them you need more time.”
Chapter Eighteen
“She needs more time,” I tell Allie, who gives me a worried look.
“It’s been days,” she says, like I don’t already know that.
“I know but she… she asked for more time. I’m not going to push her if she isn’t ready.”
Allie gives Bibiana a pointed look. “Maybe we can—”
“B, no. She said no. The answer is no.” Neither girl looks happy with my answer.
“She has classes. She’s—”
“I spoke with the admin. They notified her teachers of the situation.”
Allie’s eyes widen. “Oh. Wow. That was really thoughtful of you.”
I grunt. “She’s got enough to worry about.” They both do.
Aaron’s in the other room, phone held up to his ear. He’s been handling funeral arrangements. Trying to get the body transported back to Sun Valley so he can host a funeral, but it’s a slow-going process with a lot of paperwork and hoops to jump through.
“How's he doing?” I ask Allie.
She purses her lips. “As good as can be expected. He’s talking about it which is good. He’s not holding everything in and letting the pressure build but—“
He snaps the phone shut and throws it across the room where it shatters against the wall. Yeah, he’s handling shit well alright.
“Aaron?” I call, drawing his attention. “What’s up?”
His chest is heaving as he fights to pull himself together. “I have to fly out to Florida. They won’t release the body without me physically confirming it’s her and signing off on some paperwork.”
Fuck.
He runs his hands through his hair, his movements agitated.
“When do you need to go?” I ask.
“As soon as I can get there. I need to check flights and—”
“I got it.”
He frowns.
“Peretti and Price has a company jet. I’ll set it up. Just tell me when.”
He swallows hard and nods. “Thanks, man.”
“No worries. You want me to go with you?”
He looks at the door leading to the guest room, and I know what he’s thinking. I don’t like the idea of leaving Kasey alone any more than he does, but the thought of him dealing with this alone doesn’t sit well, either.
“You should talk to her,” I suggest, but he shakes his head. “I’m serious, man. She could use her big brother.”
“How does that help her? I can’t tell her it’s going to be okay when I don’t believe it myself, man. So what can I do? How can I fix this, because as far as I see it, I can’t.” He hangs his head and walks out of the room, his shoulders hunched and head hanging low.
“One of us can go with him,” Allie says. “You take care of our girl. They’ll get through this.”
I want to believe her, but it’s been four days since I brought Kasey back to our place. Four days and she’s barely moved from the guest room. She’s not eating. She never talks. It’s like the girl has gone catatonic. I don’t know what to do and Aaron’s been fucking worthless, not that I can blame the guy.
He’s either gone to Allie and Roman’s or he’s locked in his room, and now he’s going to fly to florida. How long will that take? How much longer can Kasey hide before shit gets serious?
“Yeah, okay. I’ll make some calls and set up his flight. Just …” I hesitate, but someone else needs to know. I can’t watch them both twenty-four seven. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”
Without needing to be asked, Bibiana excuses herself. “I’m going to head
home. Call me if she changes her mind and wants to talk, okay?”
I nod and give her a quick hug goodbye, being careful of her swollen belly. She has a few months left, but already she looks ready to pop. When she’s gone, I turn to Allie and consider what to tell her.
“Aaron’s been dealing with … things.”
She raises a brow. “Yeah. His mom just died.”
I shake my head. “More than that. I can’t tell you the how or why. I shouldn’t be telling you any of this so don’t repeat it, not even to Roman. Okay?”
She nods, worry crossing over her face.
“Aaron has PTSD.”
She opens her mouth to ask a question, but I raise my hand to stop her. “Like I said. I can’t tell you the why or the how. That’s his story to tell when he’s ready, but it’s been getting worse. He wasn’t handling it well before his mom died and now, well, it’s not going to get any better. He’s just ignoring one problem in place of the other, and eventually the other shoe is going to drop. He doesn’t sleep enough. He gets these night terrors where he wakes up panicked and drenched in sweat. And loud noises can set him off. Almost like a panic attack where he feels like the walls are closing in.”
“Has he talked to anyone?”
I shake my head. “He won’t see a shrink. I’ve tried but he refuses. I just… you need to know what to look out for because he’s getting worse, not better.”
She nods. “Okay. What do I need to know.”
Fuck. Where did I even begin? “He needs to be in a relaxed environment as much as possible. No parties. No loud, sudden noises. He tries to push it. He thinks if he exposes himself to the shit that sets him off that it’ll desensitize him to it, but that doesn’t work. Video games with shooters can be a trigger. The smell of smoke. If he doesn’t sleep for more than three days he’s got pills he’s supposed to take to help with that. They knock him out, but he wakes up feeling hungover so he doesn’t like taking them, but if he’s not sleeping he has to. It gets worse when he doesn’t.”
She nods. “Okay. I can look out for that.”
I take a breath and tell her the last thing. “If you startle him, he can lash out. Physically. He pulls himself back once he recognizes you but he’s landed a punch a time or two. For me, that’s not a problem. With you or another chick, it will be. Don’t surprise him. If you walk in a room and he’s spacing out, call his name. Don’t touch him until he acknowledges you. Got it?”
Cruel Devil: A Small Town Brother's Best Friend, Enemies to Lovers Romance (Devils of Sun Valley High Book 3) Page 11