“She killed herself six months after you were gone. She couldn’t bear to live without you,” he whispers, squeezing my shoulder.
“No,” I whisper, shaking my head as tears pour down my face. “No, not Mom.” He tries to pull me in for another hug, but I push him away. “No!”
I’m screaming as I bury my face in my hands. While I was gone, trying to live a new life, I never thought of the damage it would cause to my mother. She was the only one who showed me any kind of love, and the thought of her taking her own life because she couldn’t imagine living without me had a sob tear through me.
At that very moment, a rage I’ve never experienced begins to burn inside me. I will never let her death be for nothing. I will live my life in her name. She deserved so much more out of life, and I will fight to make sure I show her that I will never suffer as she did.
I lift my glassy eyes to my father and nod. “She was a saint among evil.”
He lets out a breath and nods in agreement. He loved her but not the way she deserved, and I can see the regret in his eyes. I’m glad he feels it.
“Valencia, if you want to stay in New York and this is the life you choose, I vow to leave you here,” he says, pushing his hands into his expensive suit jacket.
His eyes never lie, and I can see that he means what he’s saying. “This is what I want. I want to stay here,” I say.
He gives me a small nod and searches my eyes. “I respect your decision, Valencia.” He places a kiss on my cheek and turns, walking out of the chapel.
I’m left standing with Venom by my side. This wasn’t what I expected to happen when I left the waiting room. I’ve had my heart broken, learning I’ve lost my mom, but in the same breath, I’ve finally broken free from my father. He no longer has any control over me and my life.
I’m free.
CHAPTERNINETEEN
Reno
A beeping sound repeating itself over and over again causes me to look to my left. I have to blink a few times before I realize where I am. The distinct smell of alcohol and sanitizer wafts in the air, and the IV going into my hand confirms it—I’m in the hospital.
“Reno, hi. My name is Marabella, and I’m your nurse. I know you’re in a lot of pain, and we’re about to take you up to surgery, but the officers want to speak to you since you’re stable at the moment.” Stable? I was fucking shot, and she’s telling me I’m stable right now. That seems insane to me.
Two officers in uniform come walking up to my bed and have their notepads and pens out. “Reno, we need to know what happened. Did you get a look at who shot you?”
I shake my head, but the moment I do, an excruciating pain shoots down the right side of my neck, down through my chest. It feels like that small movement just rippled through where I was shot. “No, I—fuck!” I wince in pain, and Marabella furrows her brows at me.
“We can’t push him too hard right now. He’s already been through so much, and the doctor wants him upstairs as soon as possible. Are you sure this can’t wait until he’s out of surgery?” Marabella is doing her best to advocate for me right now.
“No, it can’t wait. We don’t know how surgery is going to go for him, and we need as much information as possible,” one of the officers says, and Marabella gasps from the pure shock of his words.
“Sir, I understand you’re doing your job, but do you really need to say things like that in front of my patient? That’s ridiculous!”
“Miss, like you said, I’m just doing my job.”
“I don’t know,” I speak slowly, my mouth dry. “I was looking at my phone, and then the next thing I knew, I was in pain. I heard it, but it didn’t register in my head yet. I looked around and didn’t see anyone, then I woke up here.” It’s all bullshit, but I don’t need the police digging into anything at the clubhouse. They’re looking for a reason to get a warrant to go inside, and I’m sure as fuck not going to be the reason they get that warrant.
“So, you didn’t see anything?” the other officer inquires. I’m sure they want me to contradict myself, but it isn’t going to happen.
“No, I told you both. I was looking at my phone.”
“Yeah, okay. If you remember anything, you be sure to give us a call, but I’m sure you won’t remember jack shit.” The first officer who spoke to me walks off, butthurt as hell. His partner stays at my bedside for the moment.
“If anything comes to mind, please call us. I apologize for my partner’s behavior.”
“Yeah, I’m sure that’ll save him when I report it to his CO. I was just fuckin’ shot, and he’s over here acting like I’m withholding information. I told you, I was staring at my phone. The damn thing distracts me so much, and I know it, but I didn’t realize my distraction could almost get me killed,” I state, and the officer at my bedside nods.
“I understand, sir. Please remember to call us if you remember anything else. Ma’am, do you mind keeping this card somewhere safe for the patient?” The officer hands Marabella a card which I imagine has his number on it.
She takes it and nods, “I’ll make sure he has it after his surgery. Now, I really need you to leave. We’ll be heading upstairs momentarily,” Marabella tells the officer, who thanks me for taking the time to speak to him, then walks away.
Marabella, along with two other medical professionals, starts wheeling me out of the room. I look around for Valencia, but I don’t see her at all. Where is she? Surely she’d be here if she could . . . God, did I lose her? Did she end up going back with her father after all? Fuck!
