My ears ring as the lump rises to the top of my throat.
My vision blurs as my head shakes side to side and tears fill my eyes.
I can’t let this happen to her. I can’t watch her go to this facility; it will break my fucking heart. But I can’t do anything. But I know someone who might be able to.
“Fuck.”
The next thing I do is something that makes me feel pathetic and small. But I don’t have any options.
I press Call, and the line rings three times before she picks up.
“Hello?”
“I need your help, please.” My voice cracks. “It’s Gran.”
“What’s going on? How can I help?”
“They’re sending her to Chemir. I don’t know if you’ve seen the news yet, but, Stella, she can’t be there. And I don’t … I don’t have the money to help her. And I hate to ask for anything, but would you—”
Stella cuts me off. “I will handle everything. Don’t worry about a thing, okay, Cal? Seriously, just take a deep breath and relax. Are you free in an hour?” she asks.
I nod my head with my wet eyes closed before saying, “Yes. Where?”
“Let’s just meet at the hotel. I’ll text you when I’m downstairs,” she assures me.
“You don’t have to help—”
Again, she cuts me off. “Cal? Shut up. I’m helping. I’ll see you in an hour. Everything will be okay.”
The line cuts out, and I have all the emotions and none at the same time. I’m so pissed at my parents for who they are and the choices they make. I’m so sad for Gran, who would suffer in that damn facility, if not get murdered and become another terrible statistic of Chemir.
And I’m lucky—so fucking lucky—to have Stella in my life. I couldn’t have asked anyone else—well, maybe one other person. But she and I aren’t on the best terms at the moment.
Then, there’sthat. I feel empty, completely lost. It’s been over two years since I called Becca mine, but the raw gouges in my heart feel as fresh as the day she told me she cheated on me and we were over.
I know how it looks to practically beg a girl to be with you, even after she cheated. But Brady changed all of that. The second I found out what had happened, I wanted to run to her and make sure she was okay.
I tried over and over to get her to see that I knew why she had done it, that she was going through so much shit at the time and maybe that was helping her through it.
And I’m selfish enough not to care because more than anything in this world, I want her. I want her to know that I forgive her, that I don’t care about the cheating. If that’s what helped her heal after what that scumbag did to her, then fine. I can live with that. I made peace with that long ago.
However, when we get back together—because we will get back together even if I have to wait a lifetime—that won’t be forgiven a second time.
When she’s mine again, she’s only mine. And that’s final. And trust me, when she lets me in again—which she will—I’m the only one she’s ever going to need.
When I drag myself back to the hotel, my roommates gather in my room. And Rhett’s still going on about tomorrow night at The Temple Club. About the endless girls he’s going to dance with and which one he’ll be bringing back here.
When Rhett gets an idea into his head, nothing in the world matters to him other than that one thing. It takes him over.
For what seems like hours, I listen to him rave about what he imagines tomorrow night will be.
I’m saved by further torture when a text comes through from Stella.
Stella: I’m here and waiting.
Not a minute later, another text comes through.
Stella: Hurry up already!
