Page 82 of Shattered Mind

“Why are you here?” I croak, my throat hoarse from the violent retching.

“Because Mom and Dad are worried sick about you. Not to mention the fact that my pregnant fiancée found you laying in the dirt next to Reuben’s grave, clutching a bottle of whiskey and soaked through. Do you even realise how selfish you’ve been, Grayson?”

I slump back against the wall, the trashcan tucked between my legs as a cold sweat breaks out over my body. “You’re exaggerating,” I argue weakly as my eyes become heavy, and sleep tries to claim me again.

I just need him to get the fuck out of my house so I can go back to bed.

Hunter drops his head back with a disbelieving laugh. “Exaggerating,” he says more to himself before bringing his eyes to mine and shaking his head. “Fuck you, Gray.”

He storms out of my room, slamming the door behind him with a bang loud enough to make me wince.

Fuck you, too, big brother.

Any other day, his words might have stung. Maybe even hurt. But right now, I feel nothing. I’m numb. And that’s the way I plan to stay.

Once I know the coast is clear, I somehow manage to get to the bathroom and brush my teeth. I clean out the trashcan and place it outside my front door, not wanting to even look at it, and take my ass right back to bed. Within minutes my body relaxes, and the darkness claims me.

And like I have so many times before, I welcome it.

CHAPTER 46

OLIVIA

“Are you sure you’re okay? I can stay,” Savannah says as she helps me to the sofa. She’s been hovering over me like a mother hen all day and as much as I love her, I don’t think I can take much more.

“I’m fine, Sav. I have the girls if I need anything. Go home to Reign,” I say, trying to conceal my quickly dwindling patience.

She looks like she’s going to argue so I let my annoyance show on my face. Her expression becomes sheepish. “I’m sorry, I’m being overbearing, aren’t I?”

I soften. “You’re just looking out for me, and I love you for it, but I need to be alone for a while.”

She nods her head in understanding. “Okay. Just call me if you need anything, okay?”

I nod. “I will, I promise.”

She gives me a hug, careful to avoid any cuts or bruises on my body. “I love you,Livvy.”

“I love you, too, Sav.”

After making sure I’m comfortable and have everything I need in reach, Savannah finally leaves, and I release a heavy sigh. I’m incredibly grateful for her, I really am, but I couldn’t handle the fucking pitying looks she would shoot my way every time she thought I wasn’t looking. I have a broken arm and a few cuts. I got lucky. So why the fuck is everyone tiptoeing around me like they know something I don’t?

I reach for the new iPhone Savannah picked up for me earlier today and power it on. My phone was smashed to shit in the wreck, so a new one was the only option.

I log in to my apple account and wait for my apps and contacts to transfer to the device. Within minutes the phone is dinging in my hand as an onslaught of messages and missed calls come through.

There are several texts from Carter and three missed calls from Grayson. I click on the missed calls from Gray and disappointment floods me when the timestamp shows they’re all from the night of the accident.

Nothing since. Not even a text to check if I’m okay.

I open our text thread and my fingers hover over the keyboard as I contemplate sending him a message. The curser blinks at me as I stare at the screen and try to think of something to say to him. I type, delete and retype multiple messages before deciding against contacting him altogether.

If he wanted to speak to me, he would have. I’m not going to chase him. When he’s ready to pull on his big boy pants and face me, he knows where to find me. And if he doesn’t, then he’s not the man I thought he was.

I close the app and open my contacts, scrolling until I find Carters name and press call. The phone rings forseveral seconds and I try to mentally calculate what time it would be in London right now. Just as I’m about to hang up, Carters voice comes down the line. “Hello?”

“Hey, sorry it took me so long to call you back,” I say.

“Where have you been, Liv? I’ve been texting you for two days. You were supposed to ring me yesterday.”

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