Within These Walls (Within These Walls #1)(77)

Squeezing my eyes shut, I shook my head. “I’m so sorry. It’s my fault. We should have stayed in.”

“We’re not playing the blame game, Jude. This is how it goes with me. Sometimes, I have bad days, and yesterday was just one of those. It’s going to happen more often since…”

My head jerked up as my eyes widened.

She couldn’t possibly still be considering it—not after last night, not after I’d spilled my soul. Looking over at Molly, she glanced at Lailah and then to me. Her head tilted to the side as she tried to figure out what was going on.

“Jude, could you give my mother and me a minute?” she asked.

My gaze wandered back and forth between her and Molly, I finally settled back on Lailah and gave her one final silent plea. Please don’t do this, I begged with my eyes.

I drifted out of the room in a daze and walked to the other side of the hallway where I let my body slide down the wall until I hit the floor. Staring at the closed door, I waited, wondering what she was saying, what she had decided.

Three minutes later, I had my answer.

Loud wailing sobs echoed through the hallway as Molly had been delivered the devastating news of Lailah’s decision to forgo any further attempts at an appeal.

Sitting on the floor in a lonely hospital hallway with my back pressed against the wall, I felt my life ending—for a second time.

Irony is a bitch.

She can’t do this. Screw her and her sense of independence. I made a promise to keep her alive, no matter the cost.

No matter the cost.

Jumping up, I reached into my side pocket. Pulling out my cell, I dialed the one number I never thought I’d need again.

It rang three times before the bastard picked up.

“Hello?” the familiar deep voice answered.

“Roman, it’s me.”

“Jude?”

“The prodigal son returns,” I replied through clenched teeth.

“Does this phone call mean you’re ready to come crawling back?”

I could hear the sneer crystal clear over the airwaves.

“I’ve seen the news, jackass. Don’t act like you don’t need me.”

“Listen, little brother, you left us high and dry. Dad’s mind has gone to shit in the last two years—early onset dementia. The board members are calling for my head, so please excuse me for not groveling at your f**king feet.”

“Dad is sick?” I said.

“Yeah, ass**le. You would know this if you bothered checking on your family.”

“Why isn’t it in the news?” I asked.

“Because I’ve kept it out of the news,” he spit.

Of course he did.

“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t call and check on things. I was f**ked-up, but I’m ready to come back.”

“Don’t do us any favors, Jude. I don’t need a visit. I need someone who is willing to go the distance. If you’ve seen the news, you’ve only seen half of it.”

I took a deep breath. “I’ll come back—for good. But I have stipulations.”

“I’m listening,” he answered.

“We’re going to run things my way this time. What I say goes. Do you understand?”

“If you can save this company and keep everyone employed, I’ll f**king make your coffee in the morning, brother.”

His concern for the employees surprised me. Maybe my brother had actually grown since I left.

“And I want access to all my accounts—immediately. No questions asked,” I said.

“Done.”

“Good,” I breathed out in relief as I braced myself against the wall currently holding me up. “I’ll see you in a few days.”

“You’re making the right decision, Jude,” he said.

I hit End, severing the call before I had the chance to change my mind.

There was no right or wrong decision here. Either way, I was f**ked.

Lailah would live. I’d just guaranteed that.

I just wouldn’t be here to see it.

“She can’t know,” I pressed as Marcus and I sat in the dark cafeteria.

“All this time,” he said, looking at me in a completely different way. “I should have known. You never belonged here.”

“I was exactly where I was supposed to be,” I answered.

He nodded, pain etching his tired features. “She’ll never believe it. The insurance company would never grant an appeal, not now. She knows that. Why do you think she’s given up?”

“Make her believe it, Marcus. I don’t care what you do. Lie, call it an act of God, say you called in a personal favor. I don’t give a flying f**k. Make her believe the impossible happened. And Molly—”

“I’ll take care of Molly,” he said. “She’s stubborn as a mule, but when it comes down to it, she’ll do what it takes to save her daughter.”

He placed his coffee on the table and looked up at me. “Why don’t you just tell her?”

“She’d never let me go through with it. I saw the conviction in her eyes last night, Marcus. She’s made peace with it and accepted her fate. I can’t allow that.”

“What if you destroy her in the process?”

“You and Molly will be here to pick up the pieces,” I choked out. “And she’ll be alive.”