She’s full of shit, she doesn’t forgive me and I don’t blame her knowing how much of an asshole I’ve been to her only strengthens my resolve. I have an end game and that is Hailey being mine. I stand closer to her, invading her space, her pupils dilate and that right there shows me that she still has feelings for me, I know I broke her and it’s going to take some time to make her whole but I’ll do it, I’m determined.
“I’m an ass but you know that! Listen to me Hailey, if you need me… call me.” I reach for her wrists and rub where the marks are.
“Okay,” Is all she says and I do the only thing I can do right now, I turn and walk away.
Eventhough Maddie’s gone, I want to go after her and strangle her, she doesn’t give a shit about Hailey all she cares about is scoring points and making people feel like crap. “What’s wrong?” Luke asks as I walk into dad’s sitting room, I notice he’s looking at houses. Things must be working out well with Morgan; Luke and I have been living together for years and I know that he’s been thinking about buying a house for a while now.
I sit on the sofa, still undecided on what the best course of action would be. “What am I going to do Luke? This guy she’s with, he’s been hurting her. It’s all my fault.” If I hadn’t broken her heart years ago she wouldn’t be with him.
“How is it your fault? You’re not the one hurting her. Are you finally manning up and claiming her?” I ignore Luke’s comment about manning up, I know that he’s just trying to get a rise out of me.
“Yes, she’s mine damn it. She’s always been mine.” Fuck, it feels good saying that out loud.
“Do you love her?” Is he a moron?
“Yeah, I really do love her. I think I always have. But seeing her hurt? Fuck, Luke, I want to kill the bastard. I want to take her and lock up her up to keep her safe.” I know if I’m the one to hurt that son-of-a-bitch, that I’ll be the one locked up and that will leave that asshole to hurt Hailey even more. There’s no way I’d put Hailey in a situation where she could be in even more danger, I’ll hurt anyone who does.
“What about you and Morgan?” I ask him because damn that’s one hell of a mess he’s got on his hands. Morgan is a detective with the NYPD, she’s everything Luke could ask for and yet he’s an even bigger ass than I am. He and Morgan started a friends-with-benefits relationship and anyone with sense could see that Morgan is in love with Luke, so when she told him, he ended things, well she did but he let it happen.
“What about Morgan and me?” He’s playing the dumbass.
“Well, I noticed you didn’t come home last night, and I presumed it was because you got your act together and got her back. Soph has been saying that she doesn’t know anything about her. She doesn’t even know her name, she just knows there is a woman involved. She’s been asking me if I know. I haven’t said anything except you will tell us when you’re ready.” Soph is so freaking nosey, she’s loved up and happy and she wants everyone else to be. Hopefully with Winter and Sam getting together she’ll leave Luke and I alone. Sam works with Soph at Smithy International, so she can annoy his ass constantly and that should keep her happy.
“I guess, I should tell her. It’s just that we only sorted things out last night and you know Soph, she’ll stick her nose in and try and take charge. I’m a grown man and don’t need, nor want, my sister involved in my relationship.” He says that yet we both know what Soph is like, she’s like a dog with a bone.
I nod because I understand where he’s coming from, “I know what you mean, as soon as she found out about Hailey she asked me what I’m going to do about it. I love Soph more than anything in this world. She’s our little sister, but she interferes way too much. How is Morgan?” Morgan is an amazing woman and I liked her the moment I saw her, she’s good for him, she smooths out his rough edges.
“Morgan is good, same as she always was. Beautiful, funny, and smart. I was such a dick to her Scott, I really hurt her, and she has blown it off like it doesn’t matter. She also told me she would tell me about her family, by the sounds of things, her family life wasn’t all that good.” Damn.
“Luke, she forgave you, take it for the blessing it really is and learn never to make that mistake again.” I tell him and hope that I take my own advice with Hailey, I hurt her at an age that made an impact on her, I just hope she can actually find it in her to forgive me.
Chapter Five
Hailey
Theride home was awkward and silent, I needed to calm down but we drove together so I ended up calming down in the car as I waited for her to leave the Dallas’ and Winter alone. I’m so mad at her that I know if I didn’t calm down I’d end up saying something I didn’t mean. I’m so disgusted with her behavior even though I know she needs help I’m torn. Do I kick her out as I had threatened and have nothing else to do with her, effectively getting rid of the only family I have left or do I send her to rehab in hopes that she gets better, basically giving her one last chance? Can I even force her into going to rehab? I guess it’s down to what happens when we have it out?
Walking into the house I come to a halt, what the hell has happened? The house is ransacked, but the television is still here. Maddie, takes one look around and rushes to her room, I’m so confused, she doesn’t seem shocked at the state of the house in fact she looks as though she’s been expecting it. I follow her to her room and I stand at the door and watch what the hell she’s doing, her room’s even worse than the sitting room, what the hell? “Damn it!”
She says as she starts to pick up her clothes that have been thrown around her room.
“No, don’t you say damn it. What the hell is going on? Why aren’t you calling the cops?” I’m so confused and scared right now, this is our home and someone’s broken into it but nothing seems to be taken.
“No cops! God Hailey, just leave it alone.” She shouts as she picks up more of her clothes.
“No! Stop picking up your damn clothes and fucking talk to me. What the fuck is going on? You have a choice you can either tell me or you can tell the cops.” I’m done, I can’t deal with her shit anymore.
“Seriously Hails, just leave it alone.”
I walk into her room, I’m shaking, I’m scared, and I’m angry. Today, she has treated me like shit and I’ve had enough. “I will not leave it alone, this is my house Mads and someone has broken into it.” Adrenaline is coursing through my body, I’m shaking with fear and anger.
She shoves me away from her and I snap, lifting my hand up I slap her across the face, the sound echoing around the room. “Don’t push me Mads, I’ve had enough of this shit. Sit your ass down and start talking. Who broke into our house?” She opens her mouth but before she can speak I talk, “Don’t lie to me either, I want the truth or I call the cops and you’re out on your ass. I’m done Mads, I’m done with your shit.”
She sits on the bed with a scarf that I got her for Christmas last year, she picks off imaginary lint, she’s nervous and that sets me on edge. I have no idea what she’s going to say, hell, knowing her she’ll tell me she’s been abducted by Aliens or something even more fucking stupid. “Hailey, I fucked up.” I roll my eyes, that doesn’t surprise me. “No Hails, I fucked up so bad. I owe Hardy money.”
Benjamin Hardy is the biggest asshole in town, he’s a drug dealer and a loan shark. Disappointment and hatred seep in and I feel as though I want to cry, how could she be so fucking stupid? “How much?” She looks away, “How much?” I’m beyond angry right now, she needs to tell me the fucking truth.
“95.” Is all she says and I’m staring at her as though I’ve never seen her before. How do you get that far in debt? Surely once you hit the first grand you’d realize you’re in trouble but to let it get to nine and a half, she’s crazy.
“Surely you have that? Ninety five hundred, if you don’t it won’t take us long to get together.” I’m being optimistic, it would deplete all of my savings but this is Hardy we’re talking about, I’ve heard the stories. He doesn’t care if you�
�re a man, woman, or child you borrow money from him and don’t repay it on time he’ll make sure you know about it.
She laughs at me as though I’m stupid, “You think I owe him nine grand? Damn Hails, you really are naive, I owe ninety-five-thousand.”
I swallow hard, there’s no way we can afford to repay that, “What the hell? How do you owe that much?”
She shrugs her shoulders, as though this is no big deal, she’s nearly a hundred grand in debt. “I don’t know Hails, it started off borrowing money for the bills, I paid it all back in the beginning. Then it was borrowing money for weed, then Coke, and now heroine along with the bills. Then there was the interest on top of that, it spiraled so badly that I couldn’t repay it anymore. Next thing I know I’m over ninety grand in debt and no way to repay it.”
I can’t stop myself, I throw myself at her, punching, scratching, and slapping her. “I hate you, you stupid bitch. Why did you have to do this?” I’m crying as I hit her. This is all too much for me, what has happened to everyone? Eric changed and became someone I despise, Maddie’s changed and became a drug addict. I want normal. I collapse on the bed and sob, when is this going to end? It’s one thing after another.
Arms go around me and I know that Maddie is trying to soothe me but it’s not going to work, she’s gone too far. I can’t get rid of this feeling I have, like everything around me is crumbling to the ground. She holds me until my crying fit stops, I don’t know how the hell I have any tears left. I stand, I need coffee or alcohol or chocolate, I need something. Walking into the kitchen, I decide against alcohol, it’s going to be a long night so coffee is the answer.
“Hailey, I’m sorry.” She doesn’t sound as though she is, I bet she’s just sorry that she got caught.
“Is there anything else you want to tell me? While you’re being honest.” She looks down at her feet as she shifts from side to side, “What?” I don’t want to know but at the same time I don’t want any more surprises.
“Um, the money mom and dad left us.” My heart sinks at her words, “I spent the money, all of it.”
Bile rises in my throat and I will it back down, “On what?”
She shrugs, “There wasn’t a lot of money, there was only five grand each.”
“Five grand that is a lot of money to me. Not everyone needs to get high every fucking week. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I don’t know, okay, it was the only way I could cope.” She’s a damn moron.
“Why didn’t you whore yourself out for them instead of stealing my money?” I’m angry and this isn’t what I wanted, these angry words. After everything she’s done she’s still my sister. The one that looked after me when we both lost everything.
“I should have whored you out instead. You’re nothing but an ungrateful bitch. I didn’t have to take you in and look after you but I did it and you’ve been nothing but a pain in my ass ever since.” Now she’s starting the ugliness.
“Fuck you. How are you going to pay Hardy?” I ask not wanting those ugly words to continue.
She sighs and right there, she looks like my Mads, the one that I love. “I don’t know Hails, I don’t have that much money.”
I pour both of us a cup of coffee and as I hand it to her, I see the glistening of tears in her eyes, “What do you have? What about your car? Could we do down payments?”
She gives me a sad smile, “No, this was the last warning.”
“There’s got to be something.” I know that I’m grasping at straws but I don’t know what else to do.
“There’s only one thing we have that can wipe that debt clean.” I look at her in question, “The house, Hails, it’s ours.”
“Mads,” I can’t believe she’s even suggesting selling the house. I don’t even know how to respond to that.
“I know,” is all she says.
“Fine, I’ll sell the house on one condition.” Hope enters her eyes. “This is not negotiable.”
“Anything.” I hate that she’s eager to sell the house we grew up in.
“I sell the house and you go to rehab. 90 days and not a day less.” I’m not budging on this, if I’m selling this house, I’m doing it so she can be safe and clean.
“Hails…”
“No, you don’t Hails me anything. Look around you Maddie, I’m the only person you have left and look how you’ve treated me. The ball’s in your court, you can clear the debt and go to rehab or you’re on your own. Think about it.” I walk past her and start to tidy up the sitting room. The sooner I get this done the better.
“How are we going to pay for rehab?” She asks me as she starts to help me tidy up.
“I’ll sell the cars, we live in New York, we don't need them.” That’s a lie, my car is the red Ford Mustang my daddy had. I never thought I’d sell it but Maddie needs help and I already know someone who wants to buy it, he’s been asking every time he sees me if I’m selling it. I also have about three thousand in my checking account, but I’m going to need some money to rent somewhere.
“Okay Hails, I’ll go to rehab.” It’s funny, she doesn’t care that I’m selling everything that mom and dad left me. She doesn’t care that I’m going to become homeless, as long as she’s getting what she wants that’s all that matters.
“Go and pack, I’m going to see how quickly we can sell the cars.” I dismiss her, I don’t want to talk to her right now.
“I’m going to change Hails, I’m going to be that big sister who you have so much love and respect for.”
A knock at the door has both Maddie and I looking at each other, are we expecting someone? She opens the door and I can hear Jake’s voice. Shit, I was meant to cook him dinner tonight, it’s completely slipped my mind. Jake walks in and takes one look at me, “You forgot, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I’m so sorry.” I see the disappointment in his eyes and I feel like shit.
“Don’t blame Hails, it’s my fault. We’ve had some family business to deal with and Hailey’s been stressed.” Whoa, Maddie’s owning up to something? Maybe she is wanting to change. “Anyway, I have to go and speak to Ben and sort this out.” She must sense my apprehension, she’s promised she’d go to rehab, the last thing I need is for her to do a runner. “I’ll be back later, I’ll give you two time to talk.”
“Okay, spill, what’s up?” Jake asks as soon as Maddie leaves the house.
“Where do I even begin?” I sit down on the sofa beside him and lean my head against the palm of my hands. Today has been one hell of a day.
“Well let’s begin with the bruises. Hailey is Eric hurting you?” His sympathetic tone is my undoing and I nod, “Hailey, oh girl. Has this been going on long?”
“A while, I kept telling myself that he didn’t ‘mean it’ and that he’s sorry and wouldn’t do it again. I was stupid.”
“I’m going to kill him. What a fucking asshole. So, have you ended things?” I’ve never seen him so angry before.
“Not yet, this happened two days ago and I haven’t spoken to him since.” I’m drained yet again and I know that it’s because of all the stress I’m under.
“What else has happened?”
I let out a bitter laugh, “You mean what hasn’t happened?” He raises his eyebrows, “I’ll give you the quick version.”
“That would be good because I came here for food and I’m starving.” He laughs as his stomach begins to growl.
“I have leftover Lasagna, is that okay?” His eyes light up as he nods, I get up off the sofa and walk into the kitchen, taking the Lasagna out of the fridge and turning the oven on. “Maddie and I got a call yesterday,” I begin, I haven’t even said it yet and I’ve already got tears in my eyes, “Connor was shot and he didn’t survive it.” Saying it sounds so cold and callus, God, he’s dead and here we are living as though nothing’s happened.
“Oh Hails, I’m so sorry. I know how close you were to him.” I wasn’t as close as we could have been. His arms go around me and I turn around to face hi
m, my head resting on his shoulder. “I’m sorry Hails.”
“Me too, he was a great man and he was taken too soon.” I pull away from him and put the food into the oven to heat up. “Then today, I find out that Maddie’s a drug addict and is in over ninety thousand dollars of debt.”
“What the fuck? Oh wow, that is some week your having. What the hell are we going to do?” That is why he’s my best friend, he loves me unconditionally and even is ready to help sort out my disastrous family.
“There’s only one thing we can do, we have to sell the house.”
“Whoa, are you sure about that?” I give him a look, “Of course you are.”
“She’s going to rehab and I’m moving.” I can’t even muster up a smile.
He lets out a low whistle, “That’s a lot of cash you’re willing to spend. When is she going?”
“Next week sometime, I have to sell my car and the man wanting to buy it can’t get the money for a few days so I’ve to wait until then.”
“You’re selling your car. Hailey, come on. You can’t be serious, so because she’s made a mistake you end up losing everything?” I know that he’s right but what else can I do? “Hail…”
“Don’t, she’s my sister. I need her to be okay, so if that means I’ll be homeless and penniless then so be it.”
“You’re too good for her, you know that? She doesn’t deserve your kindness.” That is true, “So, when are you meeting up with Eric to end things?”
Ugh, that’s something I’m not looking forward too, “I don’t know, I haven’t really thought about it. My life’s kind of up in the air at the moment.”
“Just promise me something, just don’t see him alone. I don’t think he’s going to take it very well. Either call me or make one of those Alpha’s you work with, go with you.” He’s worried about me and I regret letting him know everything. I hate that anyone else is this far into my business, I’m usually a very private person and knowing that Jake knows everything scares me. Especially as he knows everything about Eric. “Hailey, promise me.”
Deadly Mistake (Deadly Series Book 5) Page 5