Page 46 of Ride the Sky

Fucked. We’re all fucked without her.

“Fallon’s got spunk,” says Vic from his corner chair. “A bad run can’t keep that girl down.”

I stare at the ground, my eyes burning again.

If she’s seriously hurt, I don’t know how we’ll come back from this.

I need Fallon here. I need her to tell me it’ll all be okay. I need her to scoff at us for worrying then tell me to get my shit together. Because she’s always been my rock, and without her, I don’t know how I can do this. It was just alwaysher.

The door swings open.

Our heads jerk up, expecting the doctor.

I bristle, hackles rising as Pappy Starr slips into my periphery. Everyone in the room tenses.

“How’s our girl?” he drawls.

This fucker’s dead.

My hands pull to fists, but before I can hit him in the fat fucking face, Dakota rushes him.

“This is your fault,” she hisses. Her palm connects with his cheek, a sharp slap that echoes around the waiting room.

“Oh no,” Ruby whispers.

Another slap. Another. Pappy tries to step back, lifting his hands to shield his face, but Dakota has him cornered against the wall.

“You bastard. You promised you’d keep her safe. You promised—” Dakota breaks off, fists falling to her side as she chokes on her sobs.

Finally, Davis pulls his wife away. She wilts against him, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Go,” Davis orders over the top of his wife’s dark head. “Now.”

Face lined with shock, Pappy lowers his hands, adjusts his cuffs.

I move toward him. “Get the fuck out of here.”

Pappy bristles. “She’s my client. I—”

Charlie rises. Then Ford.

At that, Pappy swallows.

“She’s hurt because of you,” I snarl, shoving his chest. “Save your bullshit apologies before I break your fucking face.”

He’s never cared when she’s been hurt before. He’s only here now because it’s bad. Because he needs his moneymaker.

Reese, in the background, hisses, “Stop it. All of you.”

After a second look at all of us, Pappy turns and retreats down the hallway.

A throat clears behind us.

“Is this a good time?”

The doctor. Fuck.

We all turn, guiltily locking eyes, mere seconds from being caught throwing punches in a damn hospital waiting room.

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