Page 66 of Reckless Hearts

My skin itches with the need to get to her, to see for myself that she’s alright, to take care of her if she isn’t. I’m scanning the parking lot for my truck when reality slams into me. Fuck. I don’t want to waste time waiting for Maverick’s interview to end.

“Give me your keys.” I hold my hand out to Luke.

“What the hell, man?”

“I’m serious. Give them to me.” I can’t hide the growl in my voice, and his brows shoot to his hairline.

“I still have my interview. How am I supposed to get back?”

“Catch a ride with Maverick.”

“Fuck… fine. But you owe me.” He shoves the keys in my hands.

“Yeah… whatever you want,” I say and register his surprised look before hauling ass to his truck. There’s no way he could ask for something that I care about more than getting to Callie as soon as possible. Just thinking about her alone in the motel room while not feeling well is eating me alive.

I pull up Maverick’s number while waiting at the longest damn red light on the planet. There’s a maximum of four cars traveling on this road a day; what the hell do they need a light for?

I haven’t used his number in a while, so I forgot I named him Buttlicker.

Me: Callie went to the motel with Samson. I took Luke’s truck and on my way.

Buttlicker: What’s taking you so long.

This fucker. I shove it into my pocket. It buzzes again, and a muscle twitches in my cheek.This fucking asshole.It keeps buzzing until I finally can’t take anymore.

My thumb slips over the Accept button before I can even register it’s a call.

“Listen to me.” Maverick sounds dead serious, and shivers crawl up my neck, raising the back of my hair. “There’s something going on with her that she’s not telling us. I found her in a rough way after the last event.”

“And you’re just telling me this now?” I grit out, knuckles white on the steering wheel as I take the next turn too fast, tires squealing in my wake.

“She doesn’t want to tell anyone.”

“Oh, but she told you?”

“No, she didn’t tell me. I found her having a fucking panic attack.”

He might as well have punched through my chest. “What… what do you mean?”

“I mean she was gasping for breath and didn’t even know I was there. So yeah, hurry your ass up and get to her.”

The truck bounces as the tire rolls over the curb, too impatient to drive to the entrance.

“I’m at the motel. Get here. Now.”

Grateful we keep our adjoining door open, I walk right into her room, my mind still reeling from what Maverick just told me.

“Oh my God,” Callie squeaks, hand squeezing the top of her towel. “You scared me.”

“I scared you? Why did you run off like that?” The words flow on their own, my only focus getting to her. Once I’m close enough, I can make out the pink swelling around her eyes and the red tinge to her nose. There’s a tearing sensation in my chest, and I wrap my arm around her back, pulling her against me. I run my thumb under her lashes. “Have you been crying?”

“Just a little dust in my eye. You’re overreacting.” She struggles to break free, but I don’t let her.

My girl is lying to me, and I want to know why.

“What’s wrong? I can’t fix this unless you tell me.”

“I’m not asking you to fix this,” she whispers, then takes a deep, jagged breath and does her best to smile. “Just don’t get hurt.”

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