Draw (Gentry Boys #1)(72)

Creed practically snarled. “Believe me, we will.”

“I’ll be in touch, Creedence.”

Creed tossed the phone on the couch. “Don’t f*cking look at me like that, Cord.”

“I’d have done it,” I said quietly. “I should be the one.”

My brother stared at me a minute, breathing heavily. “It doesn’t always have to be you.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It doesn’t mean a damn thing other than you don’t need to take the brunt this time. Now sign in to your account. See if Gabe sent you the info yet. When Gabe says he’s gonna do something he might mean in three minutes or he might mean in three days. But eventually it’ll come.”

“You know he sure as shit won’t be forgetting about your agreement. He’ll be back to collect at some point.”

Creed looked away. “I know.”

I checked my phone. “Nothing yet.”

“Well then I guess we wait. We got anymore beer in the fridge?”

“Yeah, I think so. None for me though.”

I sat down on the couch with a taste of sawdust in my mouth. What the hell were we doing? I had one brother in the hospital and the other who had just made a deal with the devil. I was wishing for Saylor with all my heart even as I knew it was impossible to go to her right now. This was dirty shit and Say was nothing but clean. I had to keep her out of it and if I lost her along the way, then that would be my punishment for sinking into the abyss.

I can’t f*cking lose her. Please don’t let me lose her.

Creed joined me on the couch. He had a beer in his hand but he didn’t drink it. He didn’t talk either. I didn’t know what populated his personal purgatory but we were each in our own misery as we eventually fell asleep side by side.

When I woke up the first ribbons of sunrise were lighting up the sky. I checked my phone. Gabe had fulfilled his end of the bargain. There were two ‘friend’ suggestions. I looked at each one in turn. I recognized the faces. All reason fled. There was only hate and the roar of blood between my ears.





CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE


SAYLOR



Bray and Millie were kind enough to tread lightly, not asking me many questions beyond the superficial. I was grateful. Restlessness consumed me as I lay on the couch and stared at the dark ceiling. My phone was right next to my ear but I didn’t expect he would call.

There was nothing simple about Cord. There never had been. And now there was a tremendous battle waging inside of him which I could do nothing about. I’d given him everything of me that I could. If he still turned away and chose something ugly then there was no point in fighting anymore.

For a moment I felt a flash of anger towards Cord Gentry. He’d crept into my heart and nothing would ever be the same again. I couldn’t imagine finding that connection with anyone else. It was almost terrible, to really love someone.

The night was restless and in the morning I wasn’t in the mood to talk much. I had no desire at all to return to Emblem and a less than zero yearning to attend my mother’s wedding. Still, it seemed even less appealing to moon around waiting to see if the man I loved would be hurt or imprisoned.

“You can borrow a dress,” Millie said delicately.

“No thanks,” I grumbled, smoothing out the simple black maxi. It was the only dress I had which didn’t require dry cleaning. With a jolt I realized it was what I was wearing the day I went to California. It was the one I was still wearing the night Cord and I made love for the first time.

Millie’s voice was gentle. “Say? You want to talk?”

I shook my head, packing up my purse for the day. I hadn’t bought my mother a wedding gift but the hell with it. With a flash of brilliance I dug into the recesses of my bag and unearthed the Target gift card she had sent me for graduation. Perfect.

“I’m out of here,” I sighed.

Brayden peered at me from behind his glasses. “You going to the hospital first?”

“Yes.”

“Okay,” Bray said, exchanging a look with Millie. “Say hi to Emblem for me.”

“Sure thing. I’ll cut a length of razor wire from one of the perimeter fences as a souvenir.”

He shrugged. “Might be an interesting day to make a homecoming. There’s an execution tonight and I hear it’s brought out a gaggle of protesters.”

“Awesome. Can’t wait. Love you guys.” I started to head out.

“Saylor?” Brayden called.

I turned around impatiently. “Yeah?”

Bray gave me a goofy smile. “Love you too, cuz.”

I took a turn past the boys’ apartment but the pickup truck wasn’t out front. Of course, visiting hours at the hospital had started an hour ago. I hoped that’s where they were. I would have prayed about it if I had anyone to pray to.

“Thank you,” I breathed with relief when I saw the familiar outline of the crappy Chevy pickup in the parking lot of the hospital.

Creed was standing outside Chase’s room drinking a cup of coffee.

“Hi,” I waved.

He didn’t smile at me. “Hey.”

“So how’s he doing?”

Creed let out a relieved sigh. “Better. Fever broke last night and infection is subsiding. We may be able to take him home in a day or two.”