Page 44 of King

Amara swallowed hard, the lump in her throat growing. This had been about her. Someone was trying to find her and using Lee to do that. She was the reason her brother had been killed. There was no doubt about that now.

King leaned forward, his voice calm but firm. “Did he say any names? Anything that could tell us who he was dealing with?”

Joey hesitated, his brows drawing together as he searched his memory. “No names. But before he left the house, he told me to stay inside, lock the doors, and not answer it for anyone. Then he looked at me, like really looked at me as if he was trying to memorize my face or something and said, ‘I’m sorry.’” His voice cracked on the last word, and he quickly looked away.

Amara’s heart broke. She squeezed his hand again, offering comfort she wasn’t sure he could accept right now. “Joey…”

“I don’t know what he was sorry for,” Joey whispered. “For being a crap dad? For leaving me? For whatever mess he got himself into?” He shook his head, blinking rapidly. “I don’t know. But something bad happened that night, and I think… I think he knew he wasn’t coming back.”

Silence hung in the room, thick and heavy.

“Then what happened?” King finally asked, his voice steady but laced with something unreadable. He held Amara’s gaze for a long moment before returning his attention back to Joey.

Joey let out a slow breath, his fingers twisting in the blanket as he stared past King, lost in the memory. “I hopped on my bike and tried to keep up with him,” he admitted, a deep frown settling on his face. “I couldn’t match his speed and lost him. I stopped and was going to call you.”

Amara’s chest ached as she watched King’s eyes widen slightly at the admission. He said nothing, letting Joey tell his story in his own way, but she knew what he was thinking. Joey had been out there, alone, chasing after his dad toward a now-known dangerous situation. The thought made her sick.

Joey sighed, his voice lower now, tinged with regret. “I should have told someone before that, but I didn’t know if Dad was into something that could get him in trouble. I didn’t want to get him in trouble.” His words carried a weight that broke Amara’s heart.

He swallowed hard, blinking rapidly before continuing. “But when he told me he was sorry before he left, I knew something really bad was going on.”

Amara reached for his hand again, gripping it tightly. “Joey, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

He shook his head. “Didn’t I? If I had told someone sooner… maybe?—”

“No.” King’s voice was firm, cutting through Joey’s self-blame like a blade. “Your father made his choices. You are not responsible for them.”

Finally, he gave a slight nod, though Amara could see the doubt lingering in his eyes. He might have heard King’s words, but believing them was another matter entirely.

“I was about to turn around and head back home when a car stopped on the road behind me,” Joey said, his voice quieter now, as if saying it out loud made it more real. “Its headlights were so bright I could barely see. At first, it just sat there… watching me.” He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Then it started moving, slow at first like it was just following me. But then… it sped up.”

Amara felt a shudder run through her, her stomach twisting into knots. She glanced at King, whose focus was locked on Joey.

Joey exhaled shakily. “I tried to lose it, but it was fast. Too fast. I cut through side streets and tried to jump a curb, but it kept coming. Then… it hit me.” His voice wavered, and for the first time since he started talking. His fingers curled into fists, gripping the blanket like a lifeline. “That’s all I remember.”

Silence hung in the room, thick and suffocating.

Amara felt her chest tighten, fury and fear swirling inside her like a storm. Someone had tried to kill him. This wasn’t an accident, and it damn sure wasn’t random.

Amara’s grip tightened on his hand. “We’re going to figure out who did this,” she vowed, her voice thick with emotion. “And we’re going to make damn sure they don’t get another chance.”

“They made a huge mistake,” King said, his gaze dark and unreadable.

“Why’s that?” Joey asked, his voice a little shaky.

“They have me coming for them.” His voice was cold, lethal. “And Joey, if you ever feel the need to call me, you make damn sure you call me. You understand?”

“Yes,” Joey nodded, then yawned.

“You need to get some rest,” Amara said, frowning as Joey yawned again, his eyelids growing heavier by the second.

“How long am I going to have to stay here?” he asked, forcing them open again as he looked at her.

“I don’t know, but I’ll find out,” she promised with a grin. “But I will warn you I won’t be the best nurse. You might want to enjoy all this attention while it lasts.”

Joey chuckled, but the laughter quickly faded as his brow furrowed. His gaze sharpened, locking onto her face. “What’s going on with your eye?” He pushed himself up slightly, staring at her with open curiosity. “It’s… different.”

Amara’s stomach dropped. She had hoped he wouldn’t notice, not yet, at least. But Joey was observant, especially now that he wasn’t in too much pain. And now, she was stuck, unsure how to explain it without unraveling a truth she wasn’t ready for him to hear. She glanced at King, silently pleading for help.

---