Never Doubt Me: Judge Me Not #2

by S. R. Grey

  “Yeah, he does,” I agree.

  Talk of Missy ends, and, out of the blue, Kay asks, “By the way, did it seem like Nick was acting weird back at the restaurant?”

  “What do you mean?” I hedge.

  She shrugs. “I don’t know. He just seemed…off.”

  I chuckle and toss out, “Maybe he seemed ‘off’ because he still likes you, baby girl.”

  Kay glances at me from under her lashes. “I don’t think that was it, Chase.”

  She knows as well as I do, though, that Nick Mercurio wants her more than ever. But I sure as fuck don’t care to prolong a discussion focusing on Nick’s lust for my fucking girl.

  So, I re-focus the subject. “Who knows, maybe Nick was acting weird because Missy told him about Tony.”

  “No, no way.” Kay shakes her head. “If Missy said anything at all, even just a hint that she’s pregnant with Tony’s baby, Nick would definitely tell him. And Missy, for all her hesitation, wouldn’t want Tony to find out that way.”

  “Then I don’t know, babe.”

  I’m kind of done discussing Missy and Tony and Nick. But as we near the church, Missy’s name comes up once more. Up ahead in the distance, her car is nosing out from the church parking lot, edging out onto the main road on which we’re traveling.

  “Guess the rummage sale wrapped up,” I say. “Looks like Missy is leaving.”

  Kay starts to reply, but just then, a dark car flies up over the crest of the hill beyond the church. The car is in the opposite lane, bearing down at a high rate of speed toward Missy.

  The dark car—I think it’s black—tries to swerve. But it’s too late.

  “Oh my God!” Kay screams “Missy, no!”

  What follows is a sickly sound, metal on metal impacting.

  I screech to a halt several hundred yards away from the scene. I pull off to the side of the road. Kay and I jump out of my truck at the exact same time and start running toward the two wrecked cars. But I’m a lot faster and end up way ahead.

  I start to slow down, to wait for Kay to catch up. But just then, I get a clear view of the car that’s crashed into Missy’s car.

  It’s black, all right. It’s a Jaguar.

  Fuck, Jared is the person who’s just smashed into Missy.

  I hope Missy and Jared are okay, but all I can think is: Fuck, I hope my brother isn’t in that car with Jared.

  “God, no,” I yell, running faster.

  Just as I reach the Jag, I glance back. Kay has detoured over to Missy’s car. She has no idea this black car is Jared’s Jaguar. Missy’s car, pushed several yards away by the impact, is facing the wrong direction. It’s smoking and hissing, and fluids are leaking out onto the road. Strapped into the driver’s seat, Missy’s head is lolling from side to side.

  I hope Missy is okay, but first, I have to know whether my brother is trapped in Jared’s car.

  The Jag has withstood the impact of the crash much better than Missy’s car, but I still hold my breath when I swing open the passenger door.

  To my relief, Will is not even in the car.

  Thank fuck.

  Jared is the only occupant. I glance over to the driver’s side and ask him if he’s all right. He doesn’t hear me, though, as he’s too busy opening his own door and stumbling out onto the road.

  Suspecting he might be fucked up in some way, I fly around to his side of the car and grab him roughly by his plaid shirt.

  When I throw him up against the side of the car, I know I should calm down. But still, I growl, “Where the fuck is my brother?”

  “He’s home, he’s home,” Jared cries, clearly startled. “I was coming from your house. I dropped him off, like, ten minutes ago.”

  A huge surge of relief that Will is truly safe washes over me. I let up on Jared and take a step back. “Were you drinking?”

  “No, I swear.”

  I peer at his eyes, assessing their condition. “Are you fucked up on anything?”

  “No!”

  Jared’s eyes are clear. He seems to be telling the truth.

  “Why the fuck were you speeding like that? This isn’t a raceway, dude. People are pulling in and out of that church lot all the time.”

  “I’m sorry,” Jared chokes out. He glances over to Missy’s mangled car. “Is that lady going to be all right?”

  Sirens wail in the distance, and Kay, who is kneeling down by the driver’s seat of Missy’s car, brushes hair away from Missy’s face. I shake my head, since I can’t tell whether Missy is still conscious.

  Jared asks again, more panicked now, if Missy will be okay.

  “I don’t know,” I say. I’m being honest.

  An ambulance arrives, and I turn to Jared.

  “They’ll be coming over here after they take care of Missy. You sure you don’t have anything you need to come clean about?” I arch a brow.

  “Like what?” he asks, bewildered. “You still think I’m fucked up?”

  “I don’t know.” I shrug. “Some people are good at hiding it. You tell me.”

  “I did tell you,” he huffs. “I’m fine, I swear.”

  “Where were you and my brother all day? What were you two up to? If you just dropped him off, that means you were with him for hours. Where were you, and what were you two doing all that time?”

  “Will and I weren’t off doing drugs all day, if that’s what you’re implying. We drove to the lake, the one just across the state line. We hung out, swam a little, just chilled. Will said he needed to get away and unwind. He was going crazy in that house, worrying about Cassie and shit.”

  “Okay, fair enough.” I accept that the lake is probably where he and my brother went, but I still have to ask. “If drugs weren’t in the picture today, then why the fuck did you two stop by Kyle’s place this morning?”

  Jared glances away quickly, and I know for certain there’s more to the visit to Kyle Tanner.

  I step closer to Jared and whisper, “Tell me before the paramedics come over. Tell me and I won’t be pissed. Did my brother buy any drugs from Tanner?”

  “No.”

  I know I’m being played in some way. My blood starts to boil. “What other possible reason,” I grind out, “would you two have for stopping in at that motherfucker’s house?”

  For this brief second, Jared’s eyes meet mine, and I fucking know he’s about to spill.

  But just as Jared opens his mouth, wouldn’t you know it, a paramedic steps over to where we’re standing. Reluctantly, I move off to the side.

  I glance over at Kay, hoping to get her attention. She’s still next to Missy, holding her hand as two paramedics maneuver her battered body onto a stretcher. After Missy is secured, Kay finally notices me. She nods and heads over to where I’m standing.

  “Is she going to be okay?” I ask when Kay stops in front of me.

  “I don’t know,” she replies. “I think so, but they’re concerned for the baby.”

  “Jesus, I hope everything is okay.”

  Nodding once to where the paramedic is talking to Jared, Kay whispers, “I can’t believe it was Jared who crashed into Missy.”

  “I know. It’s fucking crazy.”

  “Will’s safe at home, then?” she asks.

  “Yes.”

  Kay bites her lip and glances over at the ambulance. “Would you mind if I ride in the ambulance with Missy? Her mom’s been notified, but Missy is going to be all alone until we get to the hospital. She’s really scared, Chase, and I feel bad leaving her.”

  “Of course, babe, go with her.” I lean down and kiss the top of Kay’s head. “I’ll head back to the house to check on Will. I can always meet you at the hospital later if you need me to.”

  Kay glances over to where the paramedic is checking Jared’s vitals. “Is he messed up?” she asks in a low voice. “Were he and Will out partying?”

  I shake my head. “No, he claims they just drove out to the lake in Pennsylvania. He insists they hung out and swam all day.”
<
br />   “No drugs, then?” Kay queries.

  “No drugs,” I say.

  Kay’s brow creases. “Okay, then. But why would they stop at Kyle’s this morning?”

  “I don’t know,” I say. “But, believe me, I intend to find out.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Kay

  I stay with Missy, holding her hand until we reach the hospital ER. But, as the paramedics roll Missy into a sterile corridor, I am shooed away by a stern-looking nurse.

  “I’m sorry, miss, but you’re not family,” the nurse declares when I protest and beg to stay. “There’s a waiting room right down the hall.” She points to the area where we came in. “You’re more than welcome to wait in there.”

  “Okay.” I sigh resignedly.

  I start toward the waiting room, but stop at a coffee machine. Between Missy and Will, I have a feeling I’m in for a long night and could use some caffeine.

  As I’m focused on digging around in my purse for some loose change, I feel a tap on my shoulder. Startled, I spin around and find myself face-to-face with Mrs. Metzger, Missy’s sweet, portly mom.

  “Oh, Kay, I apologize.” She rubs my arm consolingly. “I didn’t mean to startle you like that, sweetie.”

  “I’m fine, Mrs. Metzger.” I smile. “Just jumpy, I guess.”

  “Of course,” she replies, nodding and dropping her hand from my arm. “I guess we’re all a little on edge after what’s happened to my Missy.”

  “Um,” I lower my voice, “how is she doing?”

  Missy’s mom shakes her head and starts to cry. “The doctors don’t know much yet. They’re examining her now.” Her shoulders slump, but she continues. “This is so terrible, Kay. My poor Missy, she looks so broken. Her face is bruised. Her body is banged up.”

  When she’s finished speaking, she sucks in a labored breath. Her grief is palpable, and I give her a loose hug, hoping she feels a tiny bit better knowing there are people who care.

  “Please pray for Missy,” Mrs. Metzger pleads, her voice cracking. She hugs me back. “And pray for the baby. The doctors are very worried since it’s so early in her pregnancy.” She sighs, steps back, and dabs a tissue to her eyes. “Oh, I can’t even think about that right now.”

  “I’ll say a prayer for both of them,” I assure her. “I promise.”

  “Kay, one more thing…”

  My eyes meet hers, and she says, “It was sweet of you to ride here with Missy in the ambulance. I just wanted to thank you for staying with her.”

  “Of course,” I reply. “I didn’t want her to be alone.”

  Mrs. Metzger glances back to where the exam rooms are.

  “You go ahead and get back to Missy. I’ll be in the waiting room. Let me know when you know more, okay?”

  Mrs. Metzger smiles sadly. “Okay, sweetheart. I’ll come out and give you an update as soon as I hear anything, I promise.”

  I nod and thank her. I then decide to forgo the coffee. I just head into the waiting room.

  Time ticks by ever so slowly. I tap my foot, waiting and waiting. There’s a TV suspended from the ceiling, and it is blaring. Additionally, two screaming young kids are running amok, smacking each other with magazines. One starts to cry, and I decide it’s time for a break.

  When I step out of the ER, into the fresh nighttime air, I take the opportunity to check in with Chase.

  Following a quick greeting, he asks, “How’s Missy?”

  “Well, her mom is here. But there’s no real news yet. Mrs. Metzger promised to keep me updated, though.”

  “That’s nice of her,” Chase says.

  “Uh-huh.” I pause, then add in a low voice, “How’s Will? Is he at the house?”

  Chase lets out a breath. “Yeah, he’s here.”

  “Is he okay?”

  Chase knows I’m asking if Will is messed up, and he answers accordingly.

  “Surprisingly, he’s fine.”

  Now it’s my turn to release a stifled breath. “So he and Jared really did go swimming at the lake?”

  “I guess so,” Chase replies, sighing. “I mean, Will spouted off the same story as Jared, so I suppose it’s the truth.”

  In a very low voice, I ask, “Do you believe him?”

  “I do, actually. I think they really did go to the lake. My brother has a tan, so they were definitely outdoors.”

  Before I can ask why, then, would the boys stop at Kyle Tanner’s, Chase says, “Oh, I’m supposed to relay a message to you from Will.”

  “Okay.”

  “He said to tell you he’s sorry for running out on you this morning, said he needed to get his head straight about Cassie, same as what Jared said about him.”

  Chase sounds kind of defeated, and I wonder why. What else is going on?

  But before I start asking questions, I say, “Well, tell Will it’s fine. I’m not mad.”

  “I’ll tell him,” he says.

  Now, I get to my questions. First, I ask, “What’s going on with Cassie? Any updates?”

  “None that Will is sharing…” Chase trails off, and I imagine him dragging his fingers through his hair. “I mean, I don’t know, Kay. There’s nothing new to report as far as I know.”

  From his clipped tone, I know for sure something is wrong.

  “What else is going on, Chase? Did your brother say anything about that stop at Kyle Tanner’s house?”

  “No, not a word.” He sighs. “Actually, I haven’t even asked him yet. But I don’t think Will’s going to tell me anything, babe. And, frankly, I just don’t have the energy to get into it with him right now.”

  “That’s probably a good idea,” I agree. “You can talk to him about it another day.”

  “Yeah. It will have to be within the next few days, though,” Chase mutters distractedly.

  “Wait, what?”

  This must be what’s bothering Chase, why he sounds kind of off.

  Sure enough, he says. “Oh yeah, wait until you hear the latest development.”

  “Oh no,” I say, cringing as I think of what could be going on now. “What happened?”

  Chase chuckles, but it’s devoid of humor. “Will apparently spoke with our mother this morning, and she gave him the green light to go home early.”

  I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “No way,” I gasp. “You’re kidding.”

  “I wish I were,” Chase says, sighing. “But, no, it’s no joke. Will leaves for Las Vegas on Tuesday.”

  I’m shocked by this turn of events. Chase’s brother must have really pressed his mom to convince her to allow him to come home early.

  “She changed his ticket?” I ask.

  “Nope, he’s not flying. He got a refund for his airline ticket and used that money to buy a bus ticket.”

  “A bus ticket? This is weird, Chase. Why would Will take a bus back to Vegas?”

  I imagine Chase shrugging his shoulders as he says, “I don’t know, Kay. Will claims the long ride will give him time to think.”

  I am still perplexed, as perplexed as Chase sounds. Damn, now I know what Will was up to earlier. He must have been working on his flight ticket refund when I walked into the living room this morning.

  And that prompts me to ask, “What’d he do with the extra money? I’m sure that bus ticket cost a hell of a lot less than the full-fare airline ticket he had.”

  “I don’t know, babe,” Chase says quietly, clearly unfazed by the money aspect.

  He’s just going to miss his brother. I hear it in his sad tone.

  “Do you think your brother will be okay going back early?” I ask softly.

  He clears his throat. “I hope he’ll be okay. I mean, he should be fine. The bus doesn’t arrive in Vegas until sometime Thursday. And Mom and Greg arrive home on Friday. That leaves Will only one day alone. I think he can behave himself for twenty-four hours.” Chase sighs. “Plus, I’m kind of hoping that long ride really does give Will some time to think. Maybe he’ll start seeing things more clearly when it c
omes to Cassie.”

  “Yeah, I guess,” I concede, but truthfully, I have a feeling Will won’t be changing any of his behaviors when it comes to his girlfriend.

  A beat passes.

  “Do you need me to come to the hospital?” Chase asks, breaking the silence.

  “No, you stay with Will,” I respond. “I’ll be back as soon as I get word that Missy is going to be okay.”

  Just as I’m saying good-bye and disconnecting with Chase, I spot a familiar face striding purposefully toward the ER doors.

  It’s Nick Mercurio, and he appears quite distracted. Even when I raise my hand to wave, he rushes past me without a second glance.

  “Nick,” I call out.

  Halfway through the open doors, he turns.

  Seeing me, at last, he says, “Shit, Kay. I didn’t even notice you standing there.” He steps back outside.

  “Hey,” I say. “Is everything okay?”

  I can’t imagine why Nick would be racing into the hospital so determinedly, but it can’t be good.

  “God, Kay, haven’t you heard about Missy? She was in a terrible accident.”

  Wait, Nick is here for Missy?

  Confusion sets in, and I respond slowly, “Um, yeah, I know. I rode with her in the ambulance.”

  What am I missing here? Nick and Missy aren’t exactly close friends. They only met the night I introduced them at the Anchor Inn. Of course, Nick got to know Missy rather well that night, and rather quickly, though not as well as his cousin supposedly did.

  Nick shoots me a weird look. “Well, have you heard anything? Is Missy going to be okay?”

  “Uh, there’s no news yet,” I reply, still totally thrown as to why Nick is here for Missy.

  He interrupts my thoughts when he asks, “Is anyone in there with her? She shouldn’t be alone.”

  “Her mom’s with her.” I glance at the doors. “In fact, I should get back in there. Mrs. Metzger is supposed to update me when she knows more, and she’s expecting me to be in the waiting room.”

  “Let’s get in there, then,” Nick says urgently as he cups my elbow and hurries me along.

  As we’re rushing into the hospital, I still can’t imagine why Nick Mercurio feels the need to be here for Missy. Even taking into account the night at the Anchor Inn, it’s not like Missy had sex with Nick. At least, she claimed not to. In any case, if her claim is true, then Nick is little more than a stranger to her. If I expected anyone to show up for Missy, I’d think it’d be Tony, Nick’s cousin.